Kirby of the Stars: The After Story
by Leer Justice
Summary: Several months after Nightmare's defeat, Kirby discovers his adventures are far from over as he makes new friends, encounters new foes, and learns what it means to be a Star Warrior. Contains elements and characters from the anime and game series. Story Arc in Progress: Kirby's Dream Land 2
1. Overture

Chapter 1 - Overture

Tens of thousands of years ago, a being known as Nightmare emerged. A company, Holy Nightmare Corporation, was singlehandedly constructed by him. He conquered the entirety of the universe with massive hordes of monstrous creatures; creatures so horrific and beastlike, they were comparable to demons. The demon beasts ravaged countless planets among the galaxies, and a myriad of innocents suffered.

Those who cherished freedom chose to rebel. The Galaxy Soldier Army was formed, and the war against Nightmare's cruel reign began. Though the first rebellion was small, Nightmare's anger was great. Thus, the first generation of Star Warriors were born. Centuries of strife passed, and the Galaxy Soldier Army's forces grew in both size and strength as more rose to the call.

But it wasn't enough.

Unfortunately, Nightmare possessed a limitless supply of demon beasts, and the Star Warriors fell one after another. The small number that remained went into hiding. With the resistance defeated along with the galaxies' last hope for freedom, The Emperor of Darkness was free to rule without opposition.

 **(** _Journey - Branch_ **)**

Several years later on the planet Pop Star, the people of a small country named Dream Land were threatened by numerous attacks; a monster was devouring the village's sheep. This 'monster' was the demon beast Octakon. Desperate, they sought out wisdom from the stone sage, Kabu. Dream Land was under target by Nightmare and to be destroyed. Despite the bleakness of the situation, hope was found in a legend. Exceeding space-time, a Star Warrior would arrive to save them - Kirby of the Stars.

Moments later, a starship crash-landed near the village. The residents were shocked to discover the fabled warrior was in fact a small, pink, baby puffball. Kirby was quickly befriended by the Cabinet Minister's children; Fumu and Bun, as well as the rest of the inhabitants. However, the king of Dream Land, King Dedede, was jealous and suspicious of Kirby and wanted to get rid of him. Assisted by his advisor Escargon, the king made numerous attempts to do so with the demon beasts purchased from Holy Nightmare Corporation.

Despite his infancy, Kirby was indeed a Star Warrior. The child possessed the unique skill of temporarily copying the abilities of his opponents. With this power, he defeated Octakon along with a slew of other demon beasts sent afterward. With each vanquished foe, Kirby steadily began to prove himself more worthy of the title 'Star Warrior'.

In the end, Kirby faced Nightmare in a final battle. None of the pink puffball's attacks had any effect; Nightmare seemed invincible. Kirby quickly fell asleep due to exhaustion, and Nightmare entered his dream. In a last ditch effort, Fumu took the Warp Star from her pocket and threw it to Kirby. He inhaled it to become Star Rod Kirby - the source of Nightmare's only weakness, allowing Kirby to defeat The Emperor of Darkness.

True to his name, Nightmare was the very embodiment of evil that existed within dreams. Therefore, it was reasonable to believe the only place such a wretched creature could be vanquished was inside a dream.

With the pink hero triumphing over the ultimate evil, at last the galaxy could begin to live in peace...

* * *

Several months quietly passed since then - nearly six, to be precise. Life in Dream Land quickly returned to normal. Through hard work and dedication, all traces of damage the village sustained in the final battle were erased. Without the threat of near-constant demon beast attacks hovering over them, the residents could live their lives in peace as they once did before.

Kirby still resided in the small, dome-shaped, single-room house his friends built for him. The pink puffball usually chose to spend his carefree days playing with the children of the village, chasing butterflies, or taking naps under the warm afternoon sun. It was certainly a simple lifestyle, but he was content.

 **(** _Ushio - CLANNAD_ **)**

It was another beautiful day in Dream Land. The sun shone brightly over the hills and valleys of their modest country. There was a gentle early spring breeze present, the grass and flowers swaying. The townspeople were dutifully carrying out their usual routines in the peaceful Cappy Village. Such scenery almost seemed too picturesque to be real, yet it definitely existed thanks to Kirby's efforts. Though the sun was positioned high in the sky, the young Star Warrior was still fast asleep in his bed.

"Kirby!" A young girl's voice called out, her knuckles tapping against the door of the little hero's abode.

The small puff stirred, then sleepily rubbed his blue eyes.

"Are you still asleep?" The girl asked, her knocking sounding a bit louder. "It's after ten! You don't want to sleep the whole day away, do you?"

"C'mon, Kirby!" A boy was heard next. "Time to get up! We don't want to keep everyone waiting!"

Kirby sat up once he recognized the voices of his friends and quickly rolled out of the sheets.

"Fumu, poyo! Bun, poyo!" He yelled, nearly launching himself out the door.

The pair exchanged grins. Despite the fact they saw him every day, Kirby always greeted them with the same boundless enthusiasm. He found delight in even the most simple of things, and at first the siblings assumed it was because he was a young child. Nevertheless, his positive attitude was one of the many reasons why they had grown so fond of the little puffball.

"Good morning, Kirby." Fumu smiled at him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Poyo! Poyo!" He babbled excitedly while repeatedly leaping into the air.

 **(** _Mr. Resetti - Animal Crossing (GCN)_ **)**

"Oi..!" A yellow bird appeared in the tree next to the house. "You brats are so noisy!"

"Well, here comes Tokkori." Bun muttered.

"Tokkori, it's after ten. It's not like you're trying to sleep." Fumu replied, ignoring his unpleasant behavior.

"Regardless, it's entirely too loud!" The yellow bird complained in his shrill voice. "You're disturbing the peace with all your yelling and poyo poyoing!"

He flew down from the tree and fluttered over them. "Speaking of the kid, is that still all he can say?"

"He's been saying a few things." Bun answered. "Our names, his name, a few other words. What's it to you anyway?"

"That's it?" The bird scoffed, then perched himself on top of Kirby's head. "This oaf's been here about three years. He should be talking by now, not babbling the same things over and over."

Fumu frowned. "Everyone learns at a different pace. He's still very young and just needs a little more patience. Kirby will start talking when he's ready."

"Nah." Tokkori pecked at the puffball none too gently. "He's just really slow-minded. You know, stupid? By the time you kids are old, he'll probably still be as dumb as ever! Nahahaha!"

Tokkori was well known amongst the townsfolk as an ornery bird, but the siblings knew he didn't actually dislike Kirby nearly as much as he led others to believe. It was true he did often pick on him, and he had taken the puffball's bed as his own too many times to count anymore (though Fumu had since swung the almighty ban hammer on this particular act of browbeating).

However, insulting Kirby's intelligence? _That_ was where Fumu drew the line.

Fumu crossed her arms and leaned towards the bird with a fierce glare. "Kirby is _not_ stupid. Tokkori, go back to your nest."

His laughter instantly ceased. Intimidated by the short-tempered girl, Tokkori retreated to the tree he came from without so much as a peep. Kirby rubbed his forehead, not fully comprehending why Fumu became so angry. Tokkori teased him many times before, so why did she lose her temper so suddenly?

 **(** _Ring Ring Ring! - Little Busters!_ **)**

The blonde girl sighed and shook her head, then turned her attention to the pink puff. "Kirby, you shouldn't let him pick on you like that. You need to put your foot down somewhere."

"S...Sowwy." The young Star Warrior apologized with a tiny frown.

Fumu's stern expression softened. "It's okay... and we know you're not dumb, Kirby. So don't let anyone make you think so for a second!"

"Yeah, Tokkori's just full of hot air." Bun added, brushing the current topic aside. He lightly nudged Kirby with his elbow and dashed ahead of them. "C'mon, Kirby! Let's go play tag with the others! I'll race you!"

"Poyay!" The little puff cheered, immediately sprinting after the boy.

Kirby quickly caught up to him, then mimicked Bun's earlier action by bumping his arm against Bun's side with a playful giggle. The pink puffball was doing well in keeping pace with the older boy, grinning when he would momentarily pass by Bun, only to fall behind.

Fumu watched the scene a little while longer, then hurried after the two.

 _"This is how it should be, always."_ Fumu thought with a growing smile. _"Kirby, Bun and I, everyone, here in our peaceful Cappy Village."  
_

* * *

Nearby the village was a large field where the lushest, greenest grass grew in all of Dream Land. This field was only one of several composing Green Greens, but even it seemed to stretch on forever. The children loved to play there almost every day, sometimes from early dawn to late dusk.

When the trio arrived, they found the trio of Cappy children already waiting for them.

"Hey, Fumu and Bun are here!" Iroo shouted happily.

"And they brought Kirby too!" Hohhe added.

At the mention of his name, Kirby bounded towards them with a loud and enthusiastic 'poyo'. In his excitement, he nearly crashed into the young Cappies.

"We thought Kirby might still be sleeping." Honey said with a small giggle. "Is he going to play tag with us today?"

"Po-ye!" The pink puffball responded cheerily, coupled with a nod.

"Where are Lololo and Lalala? They're usually with you two." Hohhe asked.

"King Dedede is keeping them busy with chores, one after another." Bun frowned. "He said that Lololo and Lalala have to do whatever he says because they live in the castle as his servants, but I think he might just be trying to keep them from playing with Kirby."

"That stupid king..." Fumu growled under her breath.

"I think Lololo and Lalala won't be able to make it, so we'll have to play without them today." Bun said, though he was just as displeased as everyone else present. The duo always proved themselves to be a formidable challenge in any game of tag, partially because of their ability to fly. Without them, the game just wasn't the same.

"Aren't you going to play with us, Fumu?" Honey asked.

"No, I have my book on the history of Dream Land. I can't wait to start reading it again." The girl answered with a bright smile before sitting under a shady tree and producing a familiar book from her backpack.

Even if she hadn't said anything, Bun would have instantly recognized the book. That book had a history of its own. Fumu received it for her birthday several years ago after spotting the book on display in Bibli's Bookstore. Apparently it was an exceptionally rare book as well, since Bibli could only acquire one copy. She loved the book more than any present she ever received. She carried it with her everywhere, and was even found holding it as she slept on some nights.

However, King Dedede snatched the book from her not too long afterward. He had done so in order to force a reaction out of the once quiet girl. In truth, King Dedede planned to immediately return it after he had his petty fun, expecting her to plead with him to give the stolen book back. Instead, she went into a blind, verbal rage. In his own anger, the king yelled that he was going to burn it until nothing but ashes remained. That was the first time Bun saw his sister cry.

Having no further use for the book and no intention of carrying out his threat, but also too proud to return it, King Dedede stuffed it in a shelf in the castle's library. There it stayed, collecting dust until someone found it. Fumu cherished that book over all others she owned, and Bun knew how important it was to her, but...

"It just sounds boring to me." Bun frowned, the mere sight of the intimidatingly large book gave him a headache. "And haven't you read that same book over umpteen times? You're always reading or writing instead of doing something fun."

"I think those things are fun." She replied, not even gazing upward as she opened the cover of the book. "Also, 'umpteen' isn't a real number. If you're going to exaggerate about my reading habits, at least use an actual number, Bun."

"Whatever you say, sis..." Her younger brother mumbled. Fumu probably would have given him a long-winded lecture on why history was important and needed to be appreciated, or something of the like, had she not been so eager to begin reading the book in question. Bun was simply thankful he was spared this time around.

"So, are we playing or what?" Bun asked once he joined the others.

"We still have to choose who's going to be 'it'." Iroo answered. "Ready...Not 'it'!"

"Not 'it'!" Came a chorus of shouts.

"Poyit!"

 **(** _Green Greens - Kirby's Dream Land_ **)**

"Kirby is 'it'!" The children shouted and began to run away.

The little Star Warrior tilted his head. "Poyo?"

"Hey Kiiiiirby! I'm over heeeere!" Bun taunted him from behind a bush.

"Poyo?" Kirby toddled in his direction, only to look surprised when the boy immediately dodged him.

"Kirby! Hey, Kirby! You can't catch us!" Hohhe and Iroo teased and taunted as they drew nearer.

Just like Bun, the young Cappies avoided him when the puffball ventured too close. Kirby frowned as the boys continued to jeer at him, eventually choosing to stand still.

"I think Kirby doesn't know what he's supposed to do." Honey whispered.

"I should have known letting him be 'it' was a bad idea!" Hohhe whined. "He can't even play tag right! How dumb is he?"

"How could you say something so mean?" Fumu asked with a frown as she set her beloved book aside. "Kirby is younger than you and he's learning things that may seem simple to us. It's not fair to make fun of him!"

The other children complained, but decided to give in and tutor Kirby so they could continue their game.

"Geez..." Bun sighed, shaking his head. "I never thought we would have to show a Star Warrior how to play tag..."

"Oi, Kirby!" The younger brother called to him. "Come here, we'll teach you how to play!"

Nobody could have expected what happened next. Kirby bounded towards him at full throttle, but he didn't stop. Bun barely had time to scream, the pitch of his voice increasing by several levels, as the pink Star Warrior threw himself at the boy and tackled him to the ground.

Kirby gazed down at him and smiled sweetly, then offered only a single worded response to the boy's dumbfounded expression.

"Tag."

A long silence followed. Nobody moved, nobody blinked. Everyone stood, staring with mouths agape at the innocent-appearing puffball they thought mere seconds ago was hopelessly confused. Then suddenly, the field was filled with an uproar of laughter.

"Did you see his face?" Iroo laughed as he leaned on Hohhe for support.

"I didn't know Bun could scream like that." Honey said between giggles as she and Fumu were close to tears. "He sounded like a little girl!"

"You...You little..." Bun seethed, but broke out into a fit of chuckles himself. "You little stinker!"

"Poyo~!" Kirby giggled, clearly proud of himself.

Once everyone's laughter died down, the children resumed enjoying their games well into the afternoon. Kirby was 'it' a few more times, but no one fell for the puffball's trick again. Evening soon fell, and it was time for everyone to go their separate ways.

"Hey, Kirby!" Fumu called out to the young Star Warrior. "Would you like to have dinner with us tonight?"

"Yea!" Kirby squealed with glee as he bounced towards the siblings.

* * *

After walking up the steep, winding hill Castle Dedede resided upon, the three thankfully managed to arrive home before dark. Even as they walked down the halls of the bottommost stories, the delicious smell of their mother's home cooking was strong.

Fumu reached for the door, then invited Kirby into their living room. Once inside, the young Star Warrior politely wiped his feet on the rug before walking on the carpet.

 **(** _Inside a House - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_ **)**

"Fumu, Bun, you're back just in time. Dinner should be ready any minute now." Memu said as she stepped out of the kitchen. "And I see Kirby is with you. Are you joining us tonight, Kirby?"

"Yea!" He responded happily.

Memu smiled. "I had a feeling you would be, so I made a little extra just in case."

After Kirby and the family washed up, they took their seats at the table. Memu had prepared a delectable steak dinner with cooked vegetables on the side. The pink hero hungrily eyed the meal before him as warm steam wafted from the meat on his plate.

"Feel free to eat to your heart's content, Kirby." Memu said, noticing his hesitance.

"Mama, don't say that!" Bun whined. "He's probably gonna..."

Instead of inhaling the food in front of him as expected, the young puffball took his fork and knife and cut off a section of his steak. He took large bites, but this was how Kirby ate for the rest of the meal.

"My my..." Cabinet Minister Parm said with surprise. "What wonderful manners!"

"When he first landed in Dream Land, he would have gobbled up everything on the table. Even the plates and silverware! Look at how far he's come!" Memu praised.

"Kirby's grown so much since then." Fumu smiled. "I wish you could have seen him play tag with Bun earlier. Kirby tackled him to the ground."

Bun crossed his arms as Fumu told their parents what happened during the afternoon game of tag. Then the boy's cheeks began to flush as everyone else at the table laughed at his sister's retelling of the day's earlier events.

"Hey! It was a dirty trick and it wasn't even that funny anyway!" He began to pout. "Even if he can do things like eat with silverware, he still can't talk. Shouldn't he...you know, be saying more by now?"

Fumu's eyes narrowed. "Bun, don't start bullying Kirby too. I absolutely won't let you get away with it."

"Now Fumu, you know your brother isn't trying to say anything hurtful..." Parm said slowly, trying to pacify his daughter.

"Bun, dear, these sort of things can take some time." Their mother laughed. "You were the exact same way. You started walking before you ever began speaking. We worked for hours each day trying to teach you a few small words! Lololo and Lalala even tried to help. Isn't that right, dear?"

"Yes, we couldn't get you to say anything, no matter what we did." Parm frowned. "Then one day you suddenly started talking, and you haven't stopped since..."

"Dear!" Memu chided her husband.

Their father chuckled as Bun and Memu frowned at him. "What Mama is trying to say is, very young children learn things differently. Fumu learned speech earlier than you, but you learned how to walk earlier than your sister."

"Mama and Papa are right. Kirby will probably start whenever he's ready, so let's try to be patient and wait a little longer." Fumu now understood Bun was only wishing to see the pink puffball grow alongside them, similarly to how she felt. Though Bun would probably never admit it aloud, Fumu knew he saw Kirby as his own little brother.

"But Mama, Papa, what were Bun's first words?" She asked with genuine curiosity. "I can't remember either of you telling me before."

"It's probably something embarrassing!" Her brother complained as his cheeks began to burn up.

Parm and Memu gleefully answered in near unison. "Bun's first sentence was, 'I love you, sis'."

"Awww, how sweet!" Fumu said as she leaned teasingly towards her brother, but she was actually quite touched after hearing this.

"Poyaww!" Kirby joyfully parroted.

"Aww, I knew it was going to be embarrassing!" The boy whined in misery as he covered his blushing face.

"Oh, Bun! It's nothing to be ashamed about!" Memu said in a lightly scolding tone. "I have _plenty_ of stories about you that are actually embarrassing. I saw Kirby wipe his feet on the way in. What I wouldn't have given for a toddler who wiped their feet on the mat instead of the carpet when you were that small!"

The table was filled with laughter again, excluding the boy who was at the center of it all.

"Aaah! Everyone at this table is against me!" Bun wailed as his forehead hit the table with a soft 'thunk'.

Memu comfortingly patted her son's hair. "We're just teasing you a little, dear. I hope you know we weren't trying to hurt your feelings."

"...Whatever." Bun mumbled, his face still flushed.

* * *

The family finished the rest of their dinner without a hitch, then gathered up the dishes and silverware to be put in the kitchen sink. Kirby hopped down from his chair, then lightly tugged on Memu's dress to catch her attention.

"Tankyu!" He babbled.

"How precious!" Memu gushed. "Your welcome, Kirby. I'm happy you enjoyed it."

"Are you going home, Kirby?" Fumu asked a while later, when she noticed the pink puffball toddling towards the door.

"Poya." He nodded.

"Alright, but be careful on the way." The girl warned. "Don't fall asleep in a tree tonight instead of your bed, and try not to trip and fall outside. I don't want you to get hurt, especially when I'm not there to help you."

"Poyo!" He replied in agreement and trotted down the hallway.

She waited until the little Star Warrior disappeared down the expansive halls, then Fumu quickly made her way to one of the castle's many balconies. Once Fumu arrived, she found her brother was already waiting there.

 **(** _8 PM - Animal Crossing: New Leaf_ **)**

"Worrywart." Bun said with a cheeky grin. "I knew you would be here."

"But you're here too." She pointed out with a grin of her own.

"S-Shut up..." The younger sibling crossed his arms and turned his focus to the view below. "There he is, sis." He said, pointing to the area directly underneath the balcony.

Fumu leaned forward to get a better look. Kirby chose the road that lied behind the castle instead of the front, despite knowing the front road was closer to his house. She supposed the puffball wanted to take the scenic route tonight and wander around a while before going home.

Cappy Village was a peaceful and quiet place, so Kirby should be safe walking alone at night. Even so, sometimes Fumu would secretly follow him, or she and Bun would watch the puffball from the castle's balconies until he reached his dome-shaped house. King Dedede ordering demon beasts was no longer an issue, but she still couldn't help but fuss and worry over the little puffball at times.

Fumu continued to monitor the little Star Warrior until he was nearing Whispy Woods' Forest. She began to relax, then turned her attention to Bun. Her younger brother was barely conscious; he would lean on his hand a moment, then suddenly jolt himself awake.

"Bun, you need to go to bed." Fumu suggested, or rather commanded.

"But I'm not...tired yet." The boy denied, then let out a loud yawn.

"You may say that, but we both know it isn't true." Fumu shook her head. "It's not healthy to stay up late."

Too exhausted to argue, Bun dragged himself indoors to do as his sister said. The girl started to yawn as well, so she decided it was best to follow suit. Fumu took one last glance at the little Star Warrior's location before leaving the balcony. He had walked home alone at night many times before and nothing had happened before. Why would tonight be any different?

Before the exhausted siblings could reach their own home however, two figures blocked the way. They were the last people Fumu and Bun wanted to see: His Majesty, King Dedede and Escargon.

 **(** _Team Skull - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

"Have you let that Kirby into my castle again?" The king immediately questioned.

"What if we did?" Fumu retorted. She was not in the mood to hear any of Dedede's grievances tonight. "Why does it matter, anyway? Kirby has played here plenty of times before, and you should be grateful to him anyway. He saved you and the rest of Dream Land."

"B-Because!" King Dedede stomped his feet angrily and shouted. "This is _**my** _ castle! I'm the king, and I decide who gets to come in and who stays out, and I want that stupid creampuff out! I don't get why you go on about that dumb pink ball so much anyway! He can't even talk, so what's so great about him?!"

"It's not recommended to anger His Majesty when he's jealous." Escargon interjected before the king's massive fist made harsh contact with his skull.

"Shut up, Escargon!" He bellowed, then set his lackey upright. "Now tell 'em why they have to listen to me!"

"Ahem..." The snail frowned, but proceeded to do as his king ordered all the same. "Disobeying the demands of the king is a strict violation of Dream Land law." Escargon said smugly. "Such disregard for the laws of this land is deplorable, especially from the Cabinet Minister's own children!"

"Deplorable?!" Fumu shouted, flabbergasted at the accusation. "Why should we respect your laws when you have no respect for Dream Land or its people? How many times have you harassed the villagers and attacked Kirby?!"

"Silence, silence, silence! Holy Nightmare was the one who kept sending the demon beasts! They were after Kirby anyway, so none of it was my fault!" King Dedede yelled, once again denying responsibility for his actions. "And you're saying that like a demon beast showed up every week! How many times could it have been anyway?!"

"Close to one hundred, I think." Bun retorted under his breath before deciding it was time to wrap up this meaningless conversation. "Besides, Kirby isn't even here now. He went home a while ago."

 **(** _A Beast in the Village - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess_ **)**

At hearing this new information, the snail and the king looked at each other for a moment, then King Dedede turned to the siblings and grinned slyly. Fumu and Bun knew that look far more than they would have liked, and it never meant something good was going to happen.

"So, Kirby's walking home right now...alone?" The king questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Fumu and Bun refused to say anything, which only made the king's grin widen.

"The darkness can be so dangerous for such a young child to wander around in..." Escargon said, feigning concern as he followed the king's lead. "What a terrible thing to do, letting poor little Kirby leave on his own."

"Creatures of all kinds come out at night, under the cover of darkness." Dedede spoke, pausing either for dramatic effect or to irritate the two further. "You never know what could be out there...lurking around."

"What have you done?" Fumu scowled. "You've plotted something, haven't you?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all!" King Dedede nearly sang as he strolled past the children.

"You accuse us too often." Escargon said, following his lead. "We wish Kirby the safest journey home..." He added in a sinister tone.

"Both of you are terrible!" Fumu felt her clenched fists shake with anger. "Don't act so innocent! Get back here! What are you planning to do to Kirby?!"

"Sis, please calm down. They're not worth it." Bun whispered tiredly. "Those two will say anything to make you mad."

"...Yeah, I know." The older sibling exhaled slowly, feeling a bit foolish for allowing herself to fall for their nasty trick.

Though Escargon often took part in the king's schemes, the siblings knew he possessed a rarely seen kinder side. Not that it was enough to excuse him from his actions. The snail was obviously the brains of the duo, and the two had once heard Escargon earned a doctorate in the science field. It made them wonder why he wouldn't resign and find employment somewhere else where his talents would be appreciated. Fumu theorized it was a case of Stockholm syndrome, and because of that, she did hold some amount of pity for him.

King Dedede, however, was a different story altogether.

Fumu had plenty of experience in dealing with the childish king of Dream Land, more so than Bun due to being the eldest of the pair. She knew King Dedede was using vague threats towards Kirby to torment her, as he had done so many times in the past. That was also why he forced Lololo and Lalala to do chores until dusk instead of letting them play with the other children. His actions were fueled entirely by spite.

She honestly couldn't fathom why Kirby adored him as much as he did. King Dedede had been rude and malicious towards the puffball since the very moment he crashed in Dream Land, yet the young Star Warrior still seemed to have a certain unshakable faith in him.

The girl began to perk up a little. "Even if King Dedede still wants to attack Kirby, it isn't as if he can order a demon beast. Holy Nightmare is gone. His threats had to be empty in the first place."

"And we both know there's no way he's going to fight Kirby himself."

The siblings laughed aloud at the thought, imagining King Dedede marching up to Kirby's house and declaring battle against the pink puff. It would never happen! The self-proclaimed king was too cowardly and lazy to do such a thing without assistance of some sort.

Bun entered the doorway to their home, but turned around to find his sister looking out of the nearest window. Fumu surveyed the outlying grassy fields, then began to feel at ease when she spotted the pink puff near his home. She faced her brother, who wore the same stupid grin from earlier.

"Worrywart."

"Shut up, Bun."

* * *

 **(** _8 PM - Animal Crossing: New Leaf_ **)**

Kirby ambled along the fields that lied just outside town. With the nearly full, glowing moon and the glittering stars illuminating the sky above, it was easy to see what lied ahead. Shadows of the surrounding trees and other objects were stretched and cast onto the path the little puff traveled, but he wasn't frightened in the slightest. As a result of being raised in such a quiet village, the toddler felt no fear when the darkness came.

The cool wind whistled through the trees, and the leaves and bushes shuddered in response. While this may have seemed unnerving to many, it sounded like nature's lullaby to Kirby. The pink spud thought about curling up in one of the nearby trees or shrubs and sleeping there for the night, but he knew Fumu wouldn't like that. He didn't want to make her worried or upset.

The little Star Warrior began to hum a tune as he made his way home. When Kirby passed by Whispy Woods' Forest, he was nearly tempted into venturing inside and eating a few apples as a snack. He thought better of it though, knowing fully well there was a chance he might get lost inside with the moon's light blocked out by the trees. Had Kirby been the age he was when the puffball first arrived on Pop Star, he would have charged in without a second thought.

As he turned away from the woods' entrance however, it seemed as though something had moved out of his field of vision. The puffball quickly whirled around to face the expansive forest, but saw nothing unusual or out of the ordinary among the trees.

Kirby started to hum again as he resumed his walk, deciding if he had seen something, it must have been one of the nocturnal animals that lived in Whispy Woods' Forest. Perhaps it was his friend, Coo the Owl!

 _Snap...crunch...crunch...  
_

"Poyo?"

The puffball immediately spun around at hearing the sounds. His blue eyes inspected the area carefully, but the source of the noise was nowhere in sight. Kirby confusedly scratched his head with one small pink paw. Whatever sort of creature it was, Coo or not, had sounded extremely close.

 _Sluuurp...  
_

That was definitely **not** Coo.

Turning around one last time to face the forest, Kirby gazed in the direction the peculiar noises had come from. Unlike the previous instances, he clearly saw something moving in the distance. Ultimately, Kirby was able to make out a figure in the moonlight amid the trees.

 **(** _Umbra nigra - Puella Magi Madoka Magica_ **)**

It was somewhat round, not unlike his own body. Due to the darkness, the puff couldn't determine the color of the creature, or any physical attributes that suggested what it was. Its outline did not offer many hints towards identifying the unknown figure either. Many of Dream Land's inhabitants possessed a similar frame.

However, something about the silhouette seemed much too different from an average Dream Lander.

The mysterious life form shifted when it noticed someone was watching. The creature instantly turned to face the direction of the young Star Warrior, and Kirby felt a slight chill. It was staring at him...staring at him with a wide, round, unmoving optic. It never moved, blinked, or even appeared to breathe.

It just stared.

Without any warning, the figure vanished. Not wanting to stay in the area any longer than necessary, Kirby tore his gaze away from where the creature formerly stood and walked down the path a little faster. The dirt underneath his ruby red feet was gradually replaced with grass, and the toddler smiled as his dome-shaped home came into view.

Kirby entered his humble abode, shut the small wooden door tight, then closed the curtain to block out the moonlight. Realizing how fatigued he was, the pink puff dived into bed at once. As he snuggled into the soft, warm covers and began to relax, Kirby gradually forgot what happened near the forest...or if anything even happened at all.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hello, readers! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of After Story. To those who are unfamiliar with After Story's system, this fan fiction adapts the various plots from the video games into a story (sort of like a novelization) and incorporates aspects and characters from the anime.

This version of After Story is a rewrite of the BETA to show my improvement as an author, to tell After Story how it was originally meant to be told, and to celebrate Kirby's 25th anniversary. I sincerely hope you enjoy this fan fiction and that it may touch your hearts as the games and characters have touched mine.

Keep track of and pay close attention to the titles of each chapter, as they usually have a reference or foreshadowing hidden in them. Or they may just sound cool in general. Also, the stuff in parentheses are songs for the reader to listen to, to help enhance the reading experience. It's obviously not mandatory, but they are there in case anyone is interested.


	2. Things That Go Bump In The Night

Chapter 2 - Things That Go Bump In The Night

The sun had not yet risen when the young Star Warrior awoke from his slumber. The blackened room greeting him upon awakening seemed eerily unfamiliar and somber when compared to its cozy appearance in the daytime. A single source of light broke through the darkness: the full moon's glow, which was almost entirely concealed by the thick curtain.

Waking up in the middle of the night was highly unusual for Kirby. He was well-renown amongst the townsfolk as an exceptionally heavy sleeper. Only a few specific sounds were capable of instantaneously rousing him, one of them being a friendly knock on his door. However, there was absolutely no reason for anyone to be visiting the young Star Warrior at this late hour.

No, something else must have stolen Kirby from his peaceful world of dreams.

 **(** _Emergence Cave – Pikmin 2_ **)**

Kirby climbed out of bed as an uneasy notion fell over him. He trudged towards the nearby window and pulled back the curtain. Moonlight freely poured into the small, one-room house, bathing everything it touched in a heavenly white glow. He peered outside, in spite of not knowing what he would even be looking for.

The puffball's sleepy gaze flickered across the illuminated fields and plains of Green Greens that served as his backyard, seeing nothing of interest or out of place, as expected.

As Kirby reached out to cover the window, a frightfully loud _clunk_ reverberated through the stillness of the night, sounding as though it were mere feet away from his house. He almost yelped out in alarm, but managed to stifle his cry. If something was loitering outside, then Kirby didn't want to give away the fact that he was awake to said loiterer just yet.

He returned the curtain to its original position, then carefully made his way towards the door. Upon opening the door, the cool night air instantly engulfed his small body. Dream Land was a Southern country that endured no winters, so the early spring weather brought the coldest temperatures the residents would experience throughout the year. Still, the sudden change in warmth, or lack thereof, was enough to make the little puffball shiver.

With great caution, the young Star Warrior took a step outside, looking left and right for any signs of the noisemaker. Kirby hesitantly crept around the perimeter of his house, prepared to spring into action at catching even the slightest hint of an intruder. After a few minutes of searching with no results, he was finally convinced the surrounding area was secure.

If someone or something had once been on his property, they were certainly long gone by now. Perhaps it was never a living creature to begin with; it could have been a fallen branch from the nearby tree that happened to fall and hit his roof. There was a particularly vicious storm a few days ago...

He let out a soft sigh.

Kirby, while relieved there was nothing to speak of lurking outside his home, was not at all amused by the shenanigans his brain was concocting for himself. Especially not this late at night when he should be resting up for the day ahead. If he didn't get back to sleep soon, then he wouldn't have any energy to play with his friends when morning came!

The young Star Warrior went indoors, shutting the door behind him with a soft _click_. He quietly made his way to the bed, climbed in, then burrowed into the soft, warm covers. Kirby squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will his body to relax and return to the realm of sleep.

Perhaps adjusting to this new demon beast-free life was going to be more difficult than first imagined. It became routine to always be aware of any sign pointing towards a demon beast; especially after the nighttime incidents involving the Mumbies. Therefore, it was only natural to expect that after nearly two years of constant attacks from the monstrously violent creatures, some time would need to pass before he could begin to believe Dream Land was completely safe.

But Kirby never felt that way before. Until now.

* * *

A few hours later, a familiar knock stirred the puffball from his uneasy sleep. However, knowing that it was likely to be his two dear friends waiting patiently outside, Kirby quickly shook off his drowsiness and pounced at the door, excitedly flinging it open.

"Fumu, poyo! Bun, poyo!" He shouted gleefully, as though he hadn't spent most of the night staring at the ceiling.

 **(** _Misgivings – Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney_ **)**

Kirby stopped short when he noticed the expression on Fumu's face. It was a look of disappointment and slight annoyance, something the girl usually saved for when she was angry. Kirby couldn't think of anything he had done wrong, so why did Fumu seem so upset with him?

Unless...somehow she knew Kirby barely slept last night. Or that he took a detour near Whispy Woods instead of immediately returning home. Within the few seconds that passed while being subjected to Fumu's scolding gaze, his nervous brain began formulating nearly a million reasons why she would be cross with him. Everything he had ever done in his short life suddenly became the most heinous of sins.

In reality, had Fumu known of the inner turmoil inside Kirby's head at that moment, she probably would have cried.

After what felt like an eternity to the young puffball, Kirby finally took notice of a circular object tucked under her arm. His mind then came to the reasonable conclusion that whatever has angered his friend was related to the dubious object.

Fumu presented the object to him, which he quickly identified as the lid to a trash can. After the confusion wore off, Kirby's eyes trailed away from her and down the hill his house rested upon, finally noticing the rest of the trash can - _his_ trash can - lying at the bottom. More perplexed than ever, the puffball's attention returned to Fumu, hoping for an answer of some sort.

"Kirby, have you been playing with the trash can?" Fumu asked, trying to sound calm, but her vexation won through.

"P-Poyo?" Kirby stuttered innocently.

"I thought you understood that it isn't meant for that sort of thing." Fumu began her lecture, ignoring the tired sigh from Bun, knowing well he was probably rolling his eyes underneath that mop of hair. "Not for playing ball, not to store food in, and not for rolling down the hill with you inside it! ...And in the middle of the night too! I gave you this trash can to teach you the importance of recycling, and this is what you do with it?"

"Not that Kirby ever throws anything away." Bun added snidely, earning an unamused glare from his sister.

Somewhere amidst the chaos in his head, Kirby deduced that the metal receptacle's descent down the hill was almost undoubtedly what startled him last night. However, this knowledge did little to relieve him of his current stress. Fumu was upset with him, and that was far more terrifying to him than any demon beast or creature that roams during nightfall.

"N-No!" Kirby cried out in protest, rapidly shaking his head.

Fumu hesitated in her reprimanding after seeing the puffball's pitiful expression. While it was true Kirby had committed all three acts of trash can misuse before, they only happened because of Bun's tomfoolery. Once Kirby was told that their actions were wrong, he apologized to the best of his vocal ability and hadn't shown any interest in repeating said offenses.

Kirby was innocent.

Fumu was overwhelmed with guilt, blindly accusing Kirby of wrongdoing without any proof on hand, relying only on past occurrences that weren't directly his doing in the first place. In truth, she was initially hurt because the trash can had been a gift from her to the young Star Warrior. A strange gift indeed, but it was just like Fumu to give him something with practical use that involved the environment in some way. So seeing the trash can cast aside like that made her momentarily cast away all reason.

"You didn't do it, did you, Kirby?" She said in a much softer tone, reaching out to gently envelop the puffball in a comforting hug. "I'm so sorry, Kirby. I...I accused you without any evidence. You didn't deserve that. Can you forgive me, Kirby?"

"Poyokay!" Kirby replied, instantly perking up and returning the embrace.

Granted, Fumu could have given him the most insincere apology ever spoken, and he would have forgiven her all the same.

 **(** _Pirates – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker_ **)**

"Gee sis, I never thought you would get so worked up over an empty trash can." Bun snickered, ruining the moment.

"Well, it was a gift." Fumu responded, unlatching herself from the puffball to inspect the rest of the trash can. "Bun, I'll need your help with this. Can you hold the other end?"

Bun groaned. Carrying that metal monstrosity uphill was **not** going to be fun. Nevertheless, he did as his elder sister requested and made his way down with Kirby following close behind. He took the opposite end, then with a few heaves they both managed to get a steady hold.

"Wouldn't...wouldn't it be easier to let Kirby inhale this thing...then spit it out up there?" Bun said between grunts.

"No! He's only recently been broken from eating things that aren't food or related to copying abilities." Fumu answered, sounding out of breath herself. "We are not going back to that, Bun."

 _"So much for that idea..."_ He thought glumly. He wanted to argue that this one exception would probably not lead to a relapse, but something told him she was in no mood to argue.

Fumu and Bun grappled with the weight of the trash can, taking small, careful steps as they walked uphill. Kirby's house happened to rest atop one of the smaller hills found in Green Greens, but at the moment, the two felt like they might as well have been carrying it up Candy Mountain.

About halfway through their journey uphill, Fumu suddenly cried out in alarm. " **Oh no!** "

"What?! **_What?!_** " Her sudden outburst caused Bun to accidentally release his grip on the trash can, dodging just in time before the heavy receptacle could smash his foot. This created a chain reaction; Bun's sudden movement coupled with his own outburst resulted in Fumu letting go of her end. The trash can was sent rolling, and would have squished Kirby flat had he not moved out of the way at the last second.

"Bun!" Fumu yelled in an accusatory tone.

"It was an accident!" Bun defended himself as they chased down the runaway receptacle. "Quick, before it gets to the pond!"

The two managed to keep pace with it, but jumping in front of the heavy object's path was too dangerous. But if it fell into the pond, it would undoubtedly sink. They would never be able to retrieve it without assistance. As much as Fumu didn't want to, it seemed they would have to rely on Bun's earlier idea.

"Kirby, in-"

Before the order even left her lips, the pink puffball had already taken immediate action. The trash can was too dense to inhale, something they should have known after struggling to tote the thing around, but Kirby's efforts weren't useless; the empty receptacle slowed, then came to a complete stop. He flopped belly-first onto the grass and let out a tired, yet relieved sigh, feeling as though he just fought the demon beast Blocky all over again.

"Wow, he started inhaling before you even said anything, sis!" Bun exclaimed.

"Yeah..." She replied quietly, not sounding as enthusiastic as her brother thought she would.

On any other occasion, Bun would have questioned his sister on her lackadaisical response. But he had more important matters to settle right now.

"Sis, what happened up there?!" He questioned irritably. "You startled-...I mean, you made us drop it!"

"Oh...Oh!" Fumu gasped, her voice shifting to a tone of seriousness. "I noticed the trash can has dents in it, and-"

"A few dents? _That's_ why?" His jaw hung open in disbelief. "We chased that metal death trap down a hill and almost squashed my foot and Kirby because you saw a few dents?"

"I was upset, Bun! And look at it! I'm not sure if it will ever look normal again!" The girl said with genuine dismay.

"Sis...it's just a trash can. Calm down."

Fumu huffed, but didn't say anything in response. She took hold of the trash can again, then sent Bun an expectant look.

"What? Again?!"

She nodded. Bun wanted nothing more than to leave the toppled over receptacle where it laid and forget it existed, but unfortunately for him, his devotion towards his sister, no matter how commanding she was at times, overpowered his hatred towards the task at hand.

 **(** _Desiderium – Puella Magi Madoka Magica_ **)**

Kirby quietly picked at some grass as his friends carried the heavy load uphill. He nonverbally offered his assistance, but Fumu only smiled and patted his head. It was too dense for him to inhale, and gravity would be against him this round. Truthfully, even if he could have helped them in some way, Fumu felt so ashamed over shouting at the little puffball earlier that now she just wanted him to take it easy...and allow Bun to suffer in his place.

He could faintly overhear the two discussing the disfiguring of his trash can and their debate over what could have caused it. It saddened him that a gift from one of his best friends had gone through so much abuse in one night, but the blonde comforted him and said it may be possible to fix. He hoped so, even if it had become more of a decoration than a utility, since, as Bun mentioned earlier, Kirby never threw anything away.

A quiet yawn escaped the puffball.

Kirby barely slept last night, with the little sleep he did acquire being dreamless and unsatisfying. He tossed and turned, kicking the covers off the bed and onto the floor. He even fell off the bed himself once or twice. There was a faint bruise on his left side now, but Fumu didn't have to know about that.

The source of his anxiousness was that shadow. The strange encounter had unnerved him at the time, but it quickly left his mind after returning home and turning in for the night. Now the mysterious creature flickered back and forth through his thoughts in a similar vein as its movements through the trees in the moonlight - there one minute and gone the next.

Fear was not what he felt whenever the creature entered his thoughts, nor could it be called repulse.

Curiosity.

Curiosity was a good word to describe it.

Now the question remained: How to proceed? If something unknown was wandering the woods, then it was his duty as a Star Warrior and Dream Land's protector to investigate, was it not? Or perhaps he was only creating excuses to sate his growing curiosity.

Kirby thought the situation over and came to a conclusion: Tonight, he would take another detour near Whispy Woods' Forest. He would deem whether or not the creature was harmless, and if the creature did turn hostile, then certainly he could defeat it, right?

But why did the thought make him so sad?

* * *

 **(** _Stardust Fields – Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ **)**

"Yeesh, you were right, sis." Bun let out a low whistle. "That dent is **huge**."

He could understand why Fumu had been so distressed now. There, beginning at the rim of the trash can, was a large indention almost approximately the size of a coconut. A few smaller bumps and scratches were also scattered across the surface of the metal, but the damage was miniscule by comparison.

"I told you it was bad."

"Are you sure it was this big before it went downhill?"

"I'm positive."

"So, what do you think could have done this?"

"Something as simple as the wind or the local wildlife couldn't have been responsible." Fumu explained, narrowing down their possible answers. "The storm that passed by a few days ago was powerful, but the wind didn't leave any damage, at least, not like this. The only animal that could possibly be strong enough that's native to Dream Land is a Grizzo, and their natural habitats are the outer forests and up in the mountains."

"I bet Dedede did it!" Bun confidently cast his verdict. "I mean, he _did_ say all that stuff last night about things crawling around in the dark or whatever."

Fumu scowled at the mention of Dream Land's self-proclaimed king, her thoughts flying back to last night's confrontation in the castle's hallways. His vague threats towards the little puffball had brought her on edge, despite him now lacking access to the resources once used to back up said threats.

Still, the king had proven multiple times over that he did not require the aid of Holy Nightmare Corporation to cause trouble for the people of Dream Land. King Dedede was a troublemaker long before he discovered the company's existence, so why would that have to change now that the company was gone?

But this would be the first time since Nightmare's defeat that the king decided to take some form of action against his self-designated pink adversary, even if the action was a paltry act of vandalism. Up until this point, every threatening remark towards Kirby had been only talk.

"I don't know..." She replied, uncertainty evident in her tone. "If so, then maybe this was his idea of a prank, but it isn't a very funny one if that's the case."

"Don't get me wrong - I definitely think he has something to do with this. But...would Dedede really go so out of his way to torment Kirby that he would show up here, in the middle of the night, just to bust up his trash can? That's just...really petty." Bun voiced his skepticism, now beginning to doubt his previous judgment until it finally dawned on him just who it was they were talking about. "Never mind, forget I said anything."

"This does seem a little too conveniently timed to be a coincidence..." The girl sighed, glancing sadly at the defaced metal, now placed in its original upright position behind Kirby's house. "For now, I think the best thing to do is ask Gus if there's any possible way this can be repaired."

Bun gulped loudly. "We...we aren't going to carry that thing into town... _are we_?"

"Of course not." Fumu replied incredulously as she produced a camera from her backpack. "Pictures should be enough to understand how severe the damage is."

"So, are we going to see Gus now?" Bun asked once the photo-shoot was over.

The elder sibling quirked an eyebrow at that. She was fairly certain Bun would rather be playing with the other children instead of accompanying her on an errand.

"We? Bun, you don't have to come along because I'm going. Not that I don't appreciate you being there with me." Fumu said, before flashing a warm, caring smile. "Besides, I was planning on stopping by Gus's shop in the evening on our way home."

Truthfully, her initial plan was to visit the mechanic immediately, but there was no reason why this task couldn't wait until later in the day if he was going to be so insistent on tagging along.

"Really?" He blinked with surprise, then grinned ear to ear. "Thanks, sis!"

"Your welcome, little brother." Fumu ruffled his hair a bit, resulting in him lightly batting her hands away with a sour expression. She laughed. "Come on Kirby, we're ready to leave now."

The puffball peered up at the pair from his place on the cool grass a short distance away, still lying on his stomach. At hearing his friends' call, Kirby quickly scrambled upright to follow, the anxiety he felt mere moments ago now completely forgotten.

* * *

 **(** _Spring Breeze - CLANNAD_ **)**

Fumu leaned back against the tree, humming in deep thought as she closely examined the book, her most cherished one, spread out in her lap. The flowers in bloom surrounding her swayed gently in the spring breeze, which was accompanied by the soft gurgle of the stream nearby; a relaxing environment which she deemed perfect for reading.

The children's excited chattering could be heard a short distance away from atop their favorite hill, but the studious girl had learned how to tune out unnecessary noise when need be. Even while she was absorbed in the world of history, the girl still kept a close eye for the wellbeing of her younger company.

Fumu was the eldest after all. It was her responsibility to watch over the younger ones, keeping them safe and out of trouble. It was highly rare for a major dispute to erupt amongst the children, but that had nothing to do with Fumu's watchful eye; they were naturally such good friends that arguments between them usually lasted five minutes at best.

Kirby's sudden inclusion in the circle of friends did cause quite an uproar at first, but they happily accepted him. The only issue that ever came of the puffball's recruitment was that sometimes Bun and the three Cappies would play too rough with Kirby, forgetting he was younger and therefore more prone to accidents.

Out of the four, it was Honey that apologized the most profusely after Fumu hit the issue on the head when Kirby received one too many bumps and bruises during a particularly competitive game of soccer. From then on, Honey began treating the Star Warrior far gentler than in the past. Perhaps she understood what it was like, being the youngest of the group sans Kirby, and could sympathize. Fumu only wished the boys would share that sentiment...

"Heya, sis." Bun's sudden appearance snapped Fumu out of her thoughts.

He plopped down beside her without another word. The girl quietly raised an eyebrow at this. It wasn't unusual for Kirby to take time out from playing games and sidle up next to her, but for Bun to do so, missing his favorite game, soccer, as a result, was nearly unheard of.

"Are you still thinking about the trash can?" He asked out of the blue.

"Not really." Came her puzzled answer. "Why would you ask?"

"Well, you seemed kind of upset about it, more than your usual upset, so I thought I would see how you were doing." Bun's reply came out as a series of low mumbles, so she had to strain her hearing to understand any of it.

She promptly pressed the back of her hand against his forehead, then quickly drew it back in disgust.

 _"Eww, sweat. Why did I do that when I knew he would be covered in sweat?"_

"What was _that_ for? I was just asking if you were alright."

"I was checking to see if _you_ were alright." She retorted, though sounding a touch concerned.

" _I_ am alright. Sheesh, didn't know that seeing how you were doing was going to be such a big deal..." Bun grumbled, pouting to himself with his arms crossed in a manner not unlike his older sister. "B-But don't get the wrong idea! It's not like I was worried! That's your thing, not mine."

She held back her laughter, almost letting a snort slip out in the process. The last thing Fumu would ever want is to hurt her little brother's feelings, especially when he was trying to be 'cool', but the blatantly obvious lie coupled with his flustered expression was just too much.

Thankfully, she managed to compose herself before Bun noticed anything.

Fumu nearly yelped when she suddenly felt something brush against her side, but immediately relaxed after seeing it was only Kirby trying to catch her attention. She smiled and set her book aside then he climbed into the girl's now unoccupied lap.

The blonde held the little puffball tightly enough against her to keep him close, but loosely enough for him to have some wiggling room. Kirby raised up slightly to rub his cheek against hers, then settled in her arms with a satisfied hum.

A soft breeze passed through as a peaceful quietness fell between the trio. Bun still made no indication that he was about to leave her presence and rejoin the other children in their games. Fumu didn't mind her extra company at all, but it was still jarring to see her energetic brother merely observing a soccer match instead of participating.

"Hey sis, what's out there?"

She was caught off guard by the suddenness of the question, as well as the vagueness.

"...What?"

"You know. What's out there?" He repeated. "Since we've met Kirby, I've seen a lot of places in Dream Land. Places I've only heard about or didn't even know existed. And there's so much more too. I thought you would be the best person to ask, sis. So, what else is out there?"

"Oh, it's about geography!" She replied excitedly, now understanding. "Well, geography is a very broad topic. There are so many other islands, countries, continents, and even other stars and planets in our galaxy. It's hard to decide where to begin!"

"Sis, let's slow down and talk about one thing at a time..." He suggested quickly, holding up both hands in defense as though she were about to assault him rather than provide an educational answer to his inquiry.

 _"Stars, planets...?"_ Bun thought helplessly, now wondering what he's gotten himself into. _"I just wanted to know what else was out there, not **everything** that's out there..."_

But his reaction was not enough to quell Fumu's growing elation towards Bun's sudden desire for knowledge. The blonde almost scrambled for the book she set aside moments earlier and had to remind herself to calm down or risk accidentally ripping out a page. Her younger brother was not unintelligent, she knew that, and she would proceed to savagely bop anyone over the head for even suggesting he was, but for him to take an interest in the world of literature was so rare since he considered himself to be more athletically inclined.

"I guess the best place to start would be the islands of Dream Land!"

With that, she flipped to the desired page, pausing at a hand-drawn, intricately detailed map depicting several islands, seven in number, connected by a series of vividly colored arch bridges. Above the map was written 'The Rainbow Islands' in bolded cursive font.

Feeling Kirby lean forward in her lap, Fumu positioned the book so both he and Bun could see. The little Star Warrior gave a small gasp of delight at the beautiful artwork while the younger brother's jaw was slightly ajar. Admittedly, Fumu felt a similar sense of wonder towards the illustrations in her much beloved book, no matter how many times she's seen them before.

 **(** _Top Menu Theme – Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

"The Rainbow Islands are an archipelago of seven islands located on the outskirts of Dream Land." Fumu read directly from the page, though Bun suspected she had the entire book memorized. "This archipelago received its name due to the number of isles in the group, the appearance of the bridges that unite them, and when viewed from above, they appear to correspond with the colors of a rainbow."

She glanced up from the book and was surprised to find her younger brother was still paying attention. In addition, he seemed heavily engrossed in the topic. Kirby frowned when Fumu suddenly stopped, then impatiently tapped the page she was reading, urging her to continue.

The blonde could only chuckle at his eagerness. "Composing the Rainbow Islands are Grass Land, Big Forest, Ripple Field, Iceberg, Red Canyon, Cloudy Park, and Dark Castle. Peculiarly, despite the islands being close neighbors, the environments and inhabitants of each island differ drastically from one another. Connecting them are a string of rainbow-painted bridges, fittingly dubbed as The Rainbow Bridges. When they were created and why are still a mystery, but historians theorize the bridges came into existence following the conclusion to a long conflict between the islands and were constructed as a symbol of peace and unity."

"So this means that Dream Land had a civil war in the past?" Bun asked, the thought of their peaceful country ever taking part in warfare almost seemed impossible.

"Probably, but historical records are vague since the Rainbow Islands didn't become a part of Dream Land's territory until long after any conflict that may have been between them ended." Fumu answered without so much as a pause, nearly confirming Bun's suspicion that she did indeed have the entirety of the book dedicated to memory.

Fumu flipped the page, revealing another breathtaking hand-drawn illustration. In the picture was a circle of seven colorful oval-shaped stones, each floating above one of the Rainbow Islands. Lying in the center was a blade bathed in the same colors as the ring of sparkling stones surrounding it.

"Pwetty!" Kirby exclaimed with wonder, feeling a strange sort of familiarity towards the artwork.

"There exists a local legend among the islands' inhabitants of a sword imbued with great power: The Rainbow Sword." She continued. "According to ancient texts, on each island, there exists a secret chamber with a single stone, a Rainbow Drop, hidden away. When all seven Rainbow Drops are gathered, the Rainbow Sword is formed. Despite its astounding magical power, the blade itself is said to be pure and can only harm those with wicked hearts. It is a sword that exists only to protect."

"That sounds kind of neat." Bun mused. "But is it really only a fairytale? Does the book say anything about the possibility of it being real? Legends have to start somewhere, right?"

"You're absolutely right, Bun! To begin with, there are certain sections of the Rainbow Islands that have been left undiscovered. This could have begun rumors of treasure being hidden on the islands and stowed away inside secret chambers. As for the Rainbow Sword's existence, the author seems to show favor towards the idea in later passages."

"Wow, you really do have that entire book memorized." He uttered in disbelief.

"Not _everything_ , Bun. I still have much to learn from this book." Fumu replied with a hint of pride, closing the book and returning it to her rucksack. "But did that help with any of your questions? About what's out there?"

"Yeah, but you're gonna have to tell me more about the islands instead of giving me a history lesson next time. But...I guess history can be interesting sometimes." He admitted with a small shrug. "Thanks for reading to us, sis. It was great."

 _"Next time...?"_

"Your welcome, little brother." She said with a beaming smile, happy to have found something in her book both of them could enjoy together.

"And I've heard the word 'rainbow' so many times this afternoon, it doesn't even sound like a word anymore."

This time, Fumu did snort.

A while later, it suddenly occurred to Fumu that Bun and Kirby spent nearly the entire day listening to her read instead of playing. Perhaps the two spent so much time with her today because they knew she was upset earlier, but whatever the reason, it made the girl's chest feel warm.

 _"I have the best little brothers in the entire galaxy..."_ She thought with a smile so wide, it almost hurt.

* * *

Before evening fell, the trio arrived at Cappy Village's garage and gas station, run by a hardy Cappy named Gus. Gus's primary occupation was automotive maintenance, but with only two vehicles present in the humble town, and travelers scarce, business was particularly slow. However, the Cappy was also quite savvy in metalwork and repair, so he found a steadier source of income by utilizing these talents.

Fumu's knuckles hovered over the door to his shop when the sound of metal striking metal echoed through the air, meaning the mechanic was already occupied with someone else's request. She considered turning around and heading home for the day, not wanting to disturb Gus while he was working when a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

 **(** _Professor Frankly - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door_ **)**

"Oh, Fumu. It's rare to see you here." Professor Curio observed.

Strangely, the professor was accompanied by Lololo and Lalala, which somewhat explained the pair's absence from today's games. She and Bun thought King Dedede had once again bombarded the two with menial household tasks out of cruelty, but that seemed to not be the case this time.

"Lololo and Lalala? What are you doing with the professor?" Bun asked, noticing a fair amount of dirt covering all three.

Lalala was the first to answer, followed shortly by Lololo. "We were on our way to catch up with you, when we heard the professor shouting."

"There was a collapse in the ruins today." Professor Curio replied.

"You're not hurt, are you?!" Fumu gasped, eyes wide with concern.

"No, I wasn't in the ruins at the time." He explained, easing the girl's anxiety somewhat. "I realized I forgot a tool I needed. I went home to retrieve it, and when I came back, that section of the ruins was nothing but rubble. I was mostly distressed because I left the rest of my tools there, and archaeology equipment is hard to come by in this village. Thankfully, these two heard me and assisted in excavating."

"There's something sort of ironic about digging up excavation equipment..." Bun quipped, earning a chuckle from the elder.

"Ah, yes there is!" He guffawed. "Earlier today, I thought I was about to have a heart attack; all my hard work and all my equipment: gone! But then Lololo and Lalala came to my aid, and now all I can do is laugh out of relief!"

"Professor Curio, you should be thankful _you_ weren't what needed excavating!" Fumu shouted in dismay.

The professor's jovial mood didn't change in the slightest. "I am immensely thankful, Fumu. However, the collapse of that section of the ruins would have set me back in my work by a hefty amount. Today, with the assistance of these two alone, almost half of the debris has been cleared away."

"It was actually pretty fun." Lololo added happily, Lalala nodding in agreement. "We might need to help the professor more often."

"I'm thrilled to hear everything worked out, but please be more careful in the future." Fumu sighed, her eyebrows knitting in worry.

"I will be sure to. Precautions are already being made to avoid the possibility of another collapse." The professor then scratched his head and mumbled to himself, almost unintelligibly. "Although, the whole thing was so strange. That was the last place I would have expected a cave-in...how bizarre."

"Cooweo." Kirby chirped, standing on the tips of his feet as he tried to brush away the remaining dirt on the Cappy's suit with his little paws.

"Ah, thank you, Kirby." He replied, giving the puffball a single pat on the head. "It hadn't dawned on me that I was so unpresentable, arriving in town covered head to toe in dirt. How embarrassing!"

"But you're an archaeologist." Bun indicated. "Aren't you supposed to be covered in dirt all the time? Don't you like it?"

"Of course I enjoy toiling in dirt. But regardless of my occupation, there is no excuse for arriving in town looking like a cave man." He replied matter-of-factly, dusting off the areas of his person that were out of Kirby's reach.

Suddenly, the door to the workshop creaked open and out stepped Gus with a pickaxe in hand. Anyone unacquainted with the mechanic would have shook with terror at the sight, but everyone in the village knew the truth; he was a kind and cheerful man.

"Here ya go, Professor. Good as new. It'll take a lot more to break it this time; I added an alloy made of melted Gordo spikes. You know, those things shed this time of year. Almost skewered my foot on one of em'. Be careful where you step if you decide to go into the mountains."

"An alloy of shed Gordo spikes?" Curio marveled, inspecting the pickaxe. "New _and_ improved. This will do nicely! I can't thank you enough!"

"Ey, it's no problem." Gus replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Here, credit where credit is due." The professor took out a fistful of Deden and placed it in Gus's palm.

"Wait a minute! This is way too much." Gus attempted to return the wad of money, but Curio was having none of it.

"Nonsense! You deserve every coin! Nowhere else in Dream Land, perhaps even all of Pop Star, could I find such skilled handiwork, and such an honest fellow."

"Geez, professor, you're embarrassin' me." Gus muttered, but finally accepted the Deden, tucking it away in his overalls pocket.

"Well, now that that's settled, I'll be on my way home." Curio said merrily, then he remembered Lololo and Lalala. "Oh, I almost forgot you two. I'm getting forgetful in my old age."

Curio then retrieved another handful of Deden from his wallet, pressing the money in their hands. "For your excellent work today. I couldn't have asked for better assistants."

"Oh professor, we couldn't!" They protested. "Really, we can't accept this!"

"Not you too! Didn't you hear what I said to the mechanic?" He loudly disagreed with the pair, earning an amused chuckle from the spectating Gus. "Credit where credit is due!"

Lololo and Lalala were struck speechless by his generosity. They knew any further argument with the professor would be futile, so they accepted the money and thanked him politely.

"We need to go too. It's getting awfully late, and Lady Memu might need help with tonight's supper later." They said their goodbyes and flew off in the direction of Castle Dedede.

 **(** _Age, Regret, Reward – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney_ **)**

"Hey, you kids got business?" Gus asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Actually, yes." Fumu replied, taking off her rucksack, rummaging around until she found the photographs. "Do you think this may be possible to repair?"

"Cripes!" The older Cappy exclaimed, eyes widening. "You kids been firin' missiles at it or something? That dent is **_huge!_** What happened to get it in that shape?"

"We honestly don't know." Fumu frowned. "We aren't sure, but-"

"I think Dedede did it to mess with Kirby." Bun interrupted, pulling the pink puffball close with one arm. "Last night, he threw a fit over Kirby being in the castle, so he said all this stuff about things crawling around in the dark or whatever."

"So, he busted up the trash can, in the middle of the night...just because it was Kirby's?" Gus raised a furry eyebrow. "But that's so... _petty_."

"I know!"

"We don't know if King Dedede was responsible or not." Fumu interjected. "...I mean, it wouldn't be out of character for him to do such a thing, but..."

"Well, he couldn't have done it alone, I know that much." The mechanic glanced at the photos again, shaking his head. "It would take something like a demon beast to do this. That trash can was coated in an alloy of shed Gordo spikes."

"Why... _why_ would-" Bun inhaled deeply through his nose in a futile attempt to calm himself, then let out a long huff before he continued speaking. "I-I can understand the pickaxe, but... ** _why_** , why the trash can?"

Gus shrugged. "I dunno. It seemed like a fun idea at the time."

 _"Well, that explains why Kirby couldn't inhale it."_ Bun thought, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "So, if this thing has any hope of repair, could you maybe take it off? You don't know what we've been through today."

"Alright, I guess I can." He replied, a bit confused. "I'll pick it up tomorrow. So you kids rest easy, and keep an eye out for His Royal Tubbiness."

"Thank you, Gus. We will." The blonde smiled.

"And don't worry about paying me later, this'll be on the house." He added, shutting the door before there could be any disagreement on the matter.

"Hey, sis...if Dedede did vandalize Kirby's trash can, then how do you think he did it?" Bun asked in a hushed whisper. "You heard Gus, only a demon beast could do that kind of work."

"The rest of the demon beasts were destroyed after Nightmare's defeat, you know that." She reminded, her lips tugging downward. "Besides, if King Dedede is involved in any way, then we'll know the truth soon enough."

His schemes always had a way of coming into the light, sometimes through his own actions, intentional or otherwise. She suspected, if the king of Dream Land was at fault, that they would most likely encounter him somewhere in the hallways once supper has ended. He would mention something, anything that could be related to the deed in passing conversation, trying to sound innocuous, but the tell-tale sneer would immediately out himself as their culprit.

That was how he was found guilty of committing misdeeds multiple times in the past, and perhaps on some of those occasions, he _wanted_ his misdeeds to be known simply out of amusement. Amusement because no matter what acts he's committed in the past, no matter how rude, selfish, and petty he was, Dedede was here to stay as king of Dream Land, and no one would ever be brave enough to oppose his self-proclaimed rule.

Her presumption was wrong; he never appeared to confront them.

There wasn't a single sign of the king that night.

* * *

 **(** _Hyrule Field (Night) – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild_ **)**

Kirby's footsteps ground to a halt, frozen in place as he faced the clusters of trees forming Whispy Woods' Forest, which had taken on an unexpectedly sinister appearance during this lonely moonlit hour.

Kirby and his friends have ventured into the forest many times, and the little Star Warrior passed by the area nearly every day. He never held any issues with walking himself home before, so why would he suddenly feel uncomfortable about it now?

Cappy Village was a safe and quiet place as long as a demon beast wasn't involved. Nobody ever locked their doors and everybody knew each other. Chief Borun kept the only 'criminal' in town, Dorun, locked away in a jail cell. Additionally, Dorun was diagnosed as a kleptomaniac by Dr. Yabui quite some time ago and wasn't considered dangerous by any means.

Not that Kirby knew what the word 'kleptomaniac' meant. He just knew Dorun wasn't a threat and spent most of his time behind bars.

However, there was something very different about tonight's walk home. There was a shadow roaming the forest, appearing and disappearing at will, almost like a phantom. The very same one he encountered the previous night, only now it seems to have grown a bit more bold.

The dark, round figure in the distance stared at him with large, white eyes that glowed in the inky black darkness. Several moments passed by in complete silence and the creature's attention never wavered from the pink puffball.

Kirby was unsure of what action to take. The mysterious silhouette showed no signs of aggression towards him, yet the young Star Warrior couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved at being watched so intently. Now the question in his mind shifted from "what is it?" to "what will it do?"

After carefully pondering the situation, the young Star Warrior settled upon a simple decision. This creature was probably just as curious about him as he was of it (at least that was what he hoped), so Kirby would show the unknown life form the same kindness as he would a new friend.

The pink puffball took one step forward and put on a bright smile despite his nervousness.

"Hi-"

Not a second after the greeting left his mouth, the dark figure wordlessly retreated deep within the expanse of trees. After a long pause, the pink puffball released a quiet breath, thankful that the creature chose not to attack him. Perhaps the shadowy silhouette fled out of timidness, a trait Kirby would have found endearing, but he couldn't deny the wave of relief that followed its departure.

Kirby glanced upwards, checking the moon's position in the sky. It was late. Beyond late. If he continued at this pace, it would be dawn by the time he reached his house. Fumu would really be upset if she discovered the young Star Warrior had been out and about all night instead of sleeping.

After Whispy Woods' Forest was entirely behind him, Kirby reached the outskirts of the village where the farmers resided. A cold gust of wind blew, making the little puffball wrap his paws around himself for warmth. He glanced at the fields of crops the Cappies painstakingly raised, which were growing exceptionally well for this time of year. Kirby hoped the more frigid nights such as this one wouldn't interfere with their hard work.

Not too long ago, the sight of the watermelon fields would have been tempting to the young Star Warrior (much to the farmer's dismay). However, he understood the trials farmers faced after Fumu gave him a plant to tend to on his own. The process was slow and there was no guarantee the plant would reach maturity even when given proper care.

The wooden bridge creaked faintly beneath Kirby's feet. This bridge had seen better days, but he was fairly certain it wouldn't collapse. Even if the worn boards were to break under his light weight, the child wouldn't be in any danger; the bridge was suspended no more than a few inches over the steadily moving river.

Just one more step and-

 _Creak..._

The old bridge groaned underneath him in protest. Kirby became paralyzed, his blue eyes widening. He waited, heart thumping violently in his chest. The wooden structure then dipped downward, followed by another loud creak, confirming his fearful suspicion to be true.

Someone else was on the bridge.

A bead of sweat trailed down his forehead. His throat went dry. His feet were as heavy as lead. It was all he could do to suppress the whimper of dread that threatened to escape as one final squeak resounded from the aged boards underneath him.

He forced himself to turn around.

...And directly in front of him stood the shadowy figure.

In reality, only a few seconds had passed, but it seemed like hours to the anxious puffball. The dark silhouette was mere centimeters from touching him, its wide, white eyes locking onto his, just as before. As this wordless staring match stretched on, Kirby began to feel less wary and more curious, but only by a small amount.

 **(** _Oocoo's Theme – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess_ **)**

Up close, the creature lacked most of the attributes that made it seem foreboding. Its eyes were no longer glowing, it was an inch or two smaller than him, and he could even spot a tiny mouth curved into an awkward lopsided line.

This creature was peculiar, and its intense, unfaltering gaze was still somewhat discomforting, even without the ominous white glow, but it was also... _cute?_ Perhaps it could be considered cute...in a certain sense of the word, but Kirby still hadn't the foggiest clue what the thing was.

It tilted its body in a manner that suggested intrigue, then blinked. "Pigya?"

Kirby felt his mouth quirk upwards a bit. It _is_ cute.

Steeling his nerves, the puffball once again offered a nervous, but sincere smile, this time extending an excited pink paw towards the blob.

"H-Hi-"

 **(** _Danger – Don't Starve_ **)**

" ** _PIGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_** "

" ** _POOYOOOOOOOOO!_** "

The thing let out a bloodcurdling screech directly in the puffball's face. After emitting a distressed squeal of his own, Kirby's feet began moving of their own accord in the opposite direction of the wailing creature.

In his desperation to get away, he tripped and tumbled to the ground. He landed face first into a mud puddle left behind by the storm from a few days ago. He wiped at his eyes, the mud obscuring his vision. Struggling to set himself upright, he flinched when a pain shot through his left foot. The child took a few steps and the throbbing didn't stop.

Kirby took a deep breath, jumped into the air, then flapped his arms as vigorously as possible. The air escaped his trembling lips. He fell on his back and into the puddle again. Floating wasn't an option under these circumstances; Kirby couldn't take flight whenever he was under too much stress. With no other choice left, he continued to run despite his injury.

The young Star Warrior didn't dare to slow down until his home was in sight, crying out in alarm at every rustle and bump the nighttime had to offer. Never had the humble house looked so comforting, so calming.

"Oi, Kirby!" Tokkori groggily called to him, more than a tad upset the shrieking puffball had woken him up. "What's _wrong_ with you?!"

Kirby wasn't even aware of the yellow bird's presence; it was as though Tokkori was nonexistent to him. His lack of response only made the small bird angrier. Tokkori was really going to give him the what-for now. He flew in front of the door to block his escape route.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Why are you making so much noise in the middle of the night?! Some folks are trying to sleep - Like _me!_ " He squawked, not realizing his ranting and raving was falling on deaf ears. "And do you have any idea what time it is?! You were supposed to come home a long time ago! Hey-"

" ** _Go away!_** " Kirby turned around, shouting into the inky blackness of the night, momentarily leaving the ornery bird at a loss for words for once.

The young Star Warrior hastily grabbed the star-shaped handle to the door and flung it open, taking Tokkori with it. Tokkori let out a pain-filled grunt as the door slammed into his small body, nearly splattering the bird against the outside wall of Kirby's house.

"...Ok, maybe we can talk about this tomorrow..." Tokkori muttered weakly, still plastered to the exterior of Kirby's house.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Do you think Tokkori being hit by a swinging door is enough karma to make up for what happened in the episode, "Sentimental Kirby / Kirby Takes the Cake"? No? Me neither.

I've received several comments relating to the identity of the mystery shadow. If you've played Kirby's Dream Land 2 and/or read the BETA of After Story, then you may know what's happening by now, but the reveal to the characters will have to wait for a chapter or two.

This chapter's theme seems to slightly revolve around mysteries; from Kirby's stalking shadow, to the suspiciously timed defacing of the trash can, and even Fumu reading tales of the Rainbow Islands. They're all connected in some way, but you readers already knew that much, didn't you?

This chapter is also over 8,000 words in length, by the way. The usual bare minimum I've set for a chapter of After Story is 4,500 words, so I've overachieved with this one. There really was no good stopping point anywhere else in this chapter.

As a final note, I'm not even sure if Bun has a 'nose', but for the sake of comedy, let's pretend he does.


	3. Hometown Investigations

Chapter 3 - Hometown Investigations

Fumu hadn't even changed from her night gown when a tapping from outside the bedroom window caught her attention. At first, the sound was so faint the girl thought she imagined it, but as it grew louder and more obnoxious with each passing second, it became impossible to ignore. In the time it took for Fumu to climb out of bed and reach for the window, she was almost certain the entire population of Castle Dedede could hear the repetitive _thunk thunk thunk_ of whatever was pounding against the glass.

Bun barreled into her room moments later, still wearing his nightclothes. His hair was in every which direction, looking very much like a frightened cotton ball. Granted, her hair wasn't prim and proper at the moment either, tumbled over her shoulders and down her back in messy waves.

"Sis, could you keep it down? I'm trying to...Tokkori?" He mumbled, sleepily rubbing at his eyes. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

 **(** _Mr. Resetti – Animal Crossing (GCN)_ **)**

"It's morning, genius. Maybe if your hair wasn't always in your face, you would of known that." The yellow bird quipped from his perch on the windowsill. "By the way, about all that noise? Couldn't find the key. Would have let myself in otherwise, but your parents must have hid it again. You should know, I almost got a concussion trying to get you two's attention."

"As for what he's doing here, that's something I would like to know as well." Fumu grumbled irritably, glaring daggers at Tokkori lounging on her bed as though he owned it. "If this is about 'trading' beds with Kirby, then you might as well forget about it. Besides, you always complain either way."

"That isn't why I'm here! ...This time, at least." He stretched out on the sheets, leaning back on the pillows and making himself comfortable, then flinched as the familiar ache in his back returned.

"Then, why?" Bun asked, his voice noticeably groggy.

"Well, it's like this..."

For the next few minutes, Tokkori recounted his version of last night's events involving himself and the pink puffball, although it was a touch more dramatic than what actually happened...and focused more on the yellow bird's pain and misery.

"What?" Fumu gasped. "Did something happen to Kirby last night?"

"No, something happened to _me_ last night!" Tokkori spat with emphasis on the word 'me'. "That pink menace nearly tore the door off the hinges! When it hit me it felt like every bone in my body shattered! _Shattered!_ "

"And he was screaming the entire time?" Bun questioned doubtingly, keeping in mind that Kirby was the same child who walked unflinchingly through the woods during the Kimodameshi event almost two summers ago.

"Like a _banshee_." The bird answered with a swift nod. "It's a wonder he didn't wake up the whole village. The kid was yelping like a Scarfy bit his bum."

"But is he safe now?" Fumu asked with a hint of urgency.

"How should I know? I went back to sleep after that!"

"You mean you knew something was wrong and didn't check on him?!" She let out an agitated shriek before seizing the bird with a single fist. "What kind of friend are you?!"

"I-I tried talking to him, but it was like I wasn't even there! He squawked, still sore from the door's impact. "He was covered head to foot in mud, and I think he was limping too. The only thing he said was 'go away', then the next thing I knew I was kissing wood!"

Tokkori sang like a caged canary. He had been victim to several demon beasts in the past, but he would take on any of them over Fumu any day. Her anger, and even more so her love for Kirby, were not to be underestimated. She would challenge the townsfolk, the king, and maybe even all of Pop Star if need be to keep him safe, so what was one mouthy yellow bird in comparison?

The blonde's eyes narrowed, but she slowly released her grip, apparently satisfied with his compliance. Tokkori breathed a sigh of relief, then made a beeline for the window. Any pain he experienced earlier became nonexistent in his desperation to create distance between himself and the infuriated girl.

With the source of her vexation gone, all that remained was concern. If everything Tokkori told them was true, then something was terribly, terribly amiss.

 _"The one time I didn't watch over him...and this happens."_

"Bun, we need to go."

"Right."

 **(** _Spring Cleaning – Don't Starve: Reign of Giants_ **)**

The two immediately rushed to get dressed. Fumu slipped into one of her many pink and green dresses, then tied her long, blonde hair into a ponytail. Bun stumbled out of his room next, wearing his usual overalls, but his own hair still had odd ends sticking out in places. To their parents, it sounded less like getting ready for the day and more like a Phan Phan stampede.

"Fumu, Bun, what are you doing?" Memu called from the kitchen, hearing the hustle and bustle the siblings were making.

"We're going to see Kirby." Fumu answered quickly, slinging her backpack haphazardly over her shoulders.

"But what about breakfast?"

"I'm sorry, mama. There's no time to explain. We'll be back as soon as possible." She apologized, then raced for the door and sprinted down the hallways.

"H-Hey, sis! Wait for me!" Bun yelled, following in hot pursuit.

"Bun, wai-" Her sentence was cut off by the slamming of the door. She glanced at the sausage and eggs sizzling in the pan with a frown.

"Memu, where are the children leaving to in such a hurry?" Parm asked, entering the living room from their bedroom. "They're going to miss breakfast if they don't come back soon."

"Fumu said they needed to see Kirby and it seemed that it couldn't wait until later." She answered, nervously biting her lip. "She sounded upset..."

"Well, that's nothing out of the ordinary! Fumu fusses over Kirby as if he were her own." He chuckled good-naturedly, but then took note of his wife's expression. "Dear, is something wrong?"

"No, I suppose there isn't." Memu replied after a thoughtful pause. "At least, I hope there isn't."

"I'm sure the children have their reasons. They'll probably be back a bit later to elaborate on things." Parm said, attempting to soothe his wife's worries.

"I thought I heard Tokkori in Fumu's bedroom, so this may be about their bedding situation again." Memu visibly relaxed, but felt a twinge of pity for poor Kirby.

"Yes, I would say that's probably what's happening." Parm nodded, delighted that she was in better spirits, but he couldn't stop himself from hungrily eyeing the contents of the frying pan. "So...um, did either say if they would be back in time for breakfast?"

" **Dear!** "

"It was only a joke, love!"

* * *

Fumu raced down the castle halls, narrowly dodging the Waddle Dees scattered about performing their daily duties. In her haste, she almost knocked a few of them off a ladder while they were dusting. Fumu uttered a quick, but sincere apology and thanked them for their hard work. The Waddle Dees suffered enough under the king; she didn't need to be shoving the poor things off ladders on top of everything else!

A long line of Waddle Dees emerged from the kitchen to deliver the king's breakfast, thereby obstructing her path and allowing Bun the time needed to catch up. He joined her moments later, then doubled over as he panted and gasped for breath. The elder sibling wanted to roll her eyes at the display; just who was supposed to be the more 'athletically-inclined' of the two again?

"Sis...slow down..." He choked dramatically. "I'm sure...it's not...that serious..."

"If you feel that way, then maybe you should go home."

"Not a chance!"

Once the procession of Waddle Dees cleared out, the two made a mad dash for the castle's exit. Upon reaching Kirby's house, they were surprised to find the pink puffball outside and awake, caked in dried mud just as Tokkori described. But he wasn't alone; a large, mustachioed Cappy stood towering over him. Dread began to form when Fumu recognized the man as Iroo's father, Benjamin, one of the village's farmers, and the expression he wore was anything but comforting.

The Cappy was shouting in the young Star Warrior's face, his speech completely unintelligible despite his loud volume. Each outburst from the infuriated man caused him to shrink further back, his bright blue eyes wide with confusion and a hint of hurt - the very same reaction he gave when Fumu scolded him a day earlier.

The blonde forced her way between the two, barely keeping her own temper in check as she took a protective stance. Kirby smiled with relief as he moved to cling to her backside, wincing only slightly as the throbbing in his twisted ankle returned. His discomfort didn't go unnoticed by Fumu, who made a mental note to examine the injury closer once this ordeal was over.

 **(** _Groose's Theme – The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword_ **)**

"What's going on here?!" She demanded.

"Miss Fumu, I've tolerated that...that gluttonous piglet out of respect for your father. But _this_ , this is where I draw the line!"

Before she could inquire further, the Cappy continued his rant. "He...he ate everything! Every last crop, from the Maxim tomatoes to the watermelons to the... He even dug up the sprouts! We don't have anything left, just empty plots of dirt!"

"And where's your evidence that Kirby did anything wrong? Even if he did take some of your crops, he wouldn't have eaten _everything_."

"Who else but him could have done this?! Kirby's the only one here that eats like that! Just look, he's covered in mud from the fields! And if you need any more 'evidence', my family and I saw him outside our farm last night! He ran away screaming when he was caught in the act!"

"But Kirby was on his way home when he left the castle last night, and your farm isn't anywhere near his house." Bun countered, his own protective instincts towards Kirby beginning to kick in - disregarding the fact that the elder Cappy was the father of one of his best friends.

"Maybe he decided to have a little snack on his merry way home, mooching off us decent, working men!" The farmer sneered. "Did I also forget to mention that he decided to tear my bridge apart after he was finished turning the fields into an all-you-can-eat salad bar?"

"That bridge was old anyway!" Bun argued, getting caught up in the heat of conflict.

"Everyone needs to calm down. We aren't getting anywhere by shouting at each other." Fumu interjected, preventing them from verbally tearing into each other, at least for the moment. "There's only one way to know the truth behind this, and there's only one person that can tell us."

She turned around and kneeled in front of Kirby, taking his small paws in her hands. She looked deeply into his eyes, hoping he understood the seriousness of the matter.

"Kirby, were you at the farmers' fields last night?"

A tiny frown appeared on his lips, and Fumu knew solving this conflict would not be as simple as she first thought. Nevertheless, the girl patiently awaited his response, never giving any indication she was growing cross or upset with him. After a lengthy pause, he finally answered with a shamefaced nod.

"Ya..."

"He admitted his crime!" Benjamin bellowed.

"He just said he was there; that doesn't prove anything!" Bun retorted.

Fumu attempted to block out their bickering, choosing to focus on the hesitant little puffball for the moment. She was still not convinced Kirby was at fault, despite all evidence pointing otherwise. If this had happened a year or two ago, maybe so...but even then, he _never_ would have devastated the farmers to this level.

She needed more answers.

"What were you doing in the fields so late at night? We thought you were going home."

He averted his eyes, instead staring at his muddy feet as though they were the most interesting thing in the universe. Anyone else would have immediately declared him guilty after such a suspicious reaction, but Fumu's faith in him was much stronger than that.

"Kirby, I have one more question. It's really important, and I need a straight answer." She gave both of his paws a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Even if you've done something bad, it won't make me or Bun love you any less. ...You know that, don't you?"

He slowly returned her gaze, then replied with a single, short bob of his head.

"Did you eat all of the farmers' crops?"

" ** _NO!_** " Kirby shouted so loudly it made everyone jump.

He began desperately searching his memory for the words he was so patiently taught, but only grew more frustrated with himself when the ones he managed to force out weren't good enough.

"Kirby...Kirby didn't...no...poyo..." He stuttered, eyes wide and pleading. "Kirby didn't...do..."

Fumu felt her heart throb at watching the little boy struggle to form a coherent sentence. His speech had improved a great deal throughout the past few months, but being under such a stressful situation, she could easily comprehend why he would suddenly have glossophobia.

"Pwomised...Fumu..." He whispered, catching the girl by surprise. "Pwomised Fumu...Kirby wouldn't..."

She smiled softly at that, almost tearing up as she pulled him into a hug. "I know, Kirby. You've said enough, and you did very well. I'm so proud of you!"

Kirby grinned, satisfaction flowing through him as he returned the loving gesture. It hadn't been perfect, but his message was sent.

Unfortunately, Benjamin wasn't as moved. "You're going to take his word over mine, just like that?!"

The blonde frowned, reluctantly releasing the puffball. "I know how all of this must seem, but Kirby didn't take your crops."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?! This village depends on the fruits and vegetables grown on my land! What am I supposed to tell the townspeople, Tago over at the grocery store, _my family_ , when we start going under?! That the reason all of us are scraping to get by is because you refuse to keep Kirby under control?!"

Fumu's sympathy for the man was wearing thin. The farmer had every reason to be upset, she understood that; his entire stock of produce vanished in one night, and it would take a fair amount of time and work to recover what was lost. She could even understand why Kirby was his first suspect, seeing as the puffball had been found guilty of eating whatever he pleased from the gardens in the past. However, he had long since ceased these acts, and even assisted the Cappies in their agricultural work on some occasions.

If Kirby were to blame, then he would have chosen to remain silent rather than make any attempts at insisting he was innocent.

"Kirby _didn't_ steal from you, and he wouldn't lie, either!" Fumu had to pause and take a deep breath, getting angry wasn't going to solve anything. "Listen, this must have been a tremendous loss, but it's still early in the season. There's plenty of time to plant new crops; we'll even help, but please don't pin the blame on Kirby for something you know he didn't, and _wouldn't_ ever do."

"I don't need help from any of you!" He spat hatefully. "Fine...fine...if you're not going to tell the truth, if you insist on protecting that bottomless pit of a child, then I'll just have to take matters into my own hands. As of today, none of you are to take one step onto my land, purchase any of my crops, or play with my son."

"Hey, wait a minute! You can't just drag Iroo into this!" Bun loudly protested. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

"I'm his father, and if I forbid him from being anywhere near you lot, then he's going to listen and obey!" The Cappy raised his voice. "And until you're ready to admit that Kirby is guilty and all of my crops have been compensated for, everything I've said still stands! So, what's it going to be?"

"If that's the case, then we'll just have to find proof that Kirby is innocent - by catching the real culprit!" Fumu declared, refusing to back down.

"Real culprit? Bah!" He scoffed, turning his back on them to begin his descent down the hill. "If that's what you really believe, then it's only a matter of time before you realize that your so called 'real culprit' never existed to begin with! And I'll be speaking to the Cabinet Minister about payment for my ruined harvest, so don't expect an allowance from your parents anytime soon!"

"Ugh...I can't believe Iroo is stuck with him for a dad." Bun grumbled once the farmer was out of earshot. "I mean, talk about having anger issues! He makes Dedede seem like the most relaxed person in Dream Land."

"I wouldn't go that far." Fumu added as a rebuttal. "I'm aware that he has a lot of reasons to be upset right now, but taking his anger out on Kirby, whether he was responsible or not, wouldn't fix anything."

"Didn't do it, poyo!" The puffball began pleading again, lightly tugging at her arm.

 **(** _Spring – Harvest Moon DS_ **)**

"We know, Kirby." She gently stroked the top of his head as a soothing gesture. "I'm sorry. You've been through so much already, and it's still morning. Let's get all this mud off you first then we need to take a trip to Dr. Yabui's to see about that ankle. How did you get like this in the first place?"

"...Fell." He answered quietly.

"Oh, Kirby..." The blonde hugged him to her, paying no mind to the filth coating his body. "It must have been a hard fall, too. That looks like it hurts, no, there's no way it couldn't hurt. It even looks a little twisted..."

"Uh, sis, you need to see this..." Her younger brother called, standing in the doorway of Kirby's abode.

Fumu gathered Kirby into her arms, holding him carefully so as not to aggravate his injury any further than necessary. She almost dropped him when she peered inside his home - the floor, the bed sheets, the pillows, everything was covered in dried soil just like the little Star Warrior.

"Kirby..." She groaned, but stopped herself when he tucked his face into her shoulder, clearly ashamed. "It's alright. I'm sure it'll all come out. Don't worry about it. We can borrow a washtub from Mrs. Hana, and it shouldn't take too long, maybe an hour."

"Aww...I hate doing laundry!" Bun whined.

"Do it for Kirby! Think of it as a muscle workout!" Fumu tried to sound enthusiastic so Kirby wouldn't feel worse. "But we can worry about taking care of this mess after we get back from the clinic."

Thankfully, Hana had been happy to lend them a washtub, even offering a helping hand by washing the sheets and pillow cases herself (much to Bun's relief), leaving only the short trail of footprints leading to the bed to clean.

"Poor dear..." She clucked at the sight of the dirty puffball. "Having to spend the whole night like that..."

"Thank you again, but you didn't have to do this much for us." Fumu expressed her gratitude.

"It's no trouble at all, dearie." Hana replied before returning indoors to tend to the laundry. "My family and I are having dinner at Kawasaki's tonight, and I didn't have anything else to do today. I'll drop them off at Kirby's house later once everything's had a chance to dry."

In the meantime, Fumu was busying herself with rinsing the filth from Kirby. It wasn't an easy task since he insisted on squirming every few seconds out of discomfort.

"Poy _ooow!_ " He howled as the girl scrubbed at his sore ankle.

"I'm sorry, Kirby." She apologized for the fourth time since he climbed into the tub. "I know you would do this yourself if you could, but I'm almost finished."

A few minutes later, his body was free of any dirt or grime. Fumu carefully dried him with a fluffy towel, managing to coerce a giggle out of him when she suddenly tossed it over his eyes. Bun came back from removing the mud from Kirby's floor not long afterward, apparently without any issues since he wasn't complaining or begging for help.

"Okay, the floor's clean, the sheets and pillows are clean, the puffball's clean, so are we all set to go see Yabui?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Fumu hoisted Kirby into her arms once more, allowing him to wriggle around as he settled into a comfortable position. After making certain her grip on him was secure, the three friends left in search of the village's only doctor.

* * *

"Hmmm...hmmmm..."

"So, how bad is it?" Bun inquired after what felt like hours of listening to Yabui humming to himself.

"Well, it's definitely twisted, that's for sure, but I'll need an x-ray to know the full extent of the damage." The elder finally answered as he began preparing the equipment for the procedure.

Kirby did exactly as the doctor instructed, and a short while later, the photographs had developed. Dr. Yabui scanned over each of the x-rays without uttering a sound, only nodding his head once or twice. Fumu chewed at her lip nervously as she awaited the results.

"The good news is, I do know how to fix this and the method is relatively easy." Dr. Yabui explained. "The, uh, bad news is, how I have to fix it is going to be decidedly _unfun_."

Without elaborating any further, the doctor stepped closer to the puffball and lightly prodded his ankle. "Now, I'll need you to stay still for a moment. This should only hurt for a second or two."

Dr. Yabui had said the words no patient ever wanted to hear. Kirby wiggled backwards on the examination table until his back was against the wall, letting out a pitiful whimper. Not wanting to see or hear his friend in pain, Bun turned around and covered his ears. Fumu was a bit more helpful, offering her hand for him to hold. Kirby took it and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself.

The doctor took hold of Kirby's ankle and applied pressure against the affected area with his thumb. The young Star Warrior let out a short shriek, only to be cut off by a soft, almost inaudible pop. He slowly cracked open one eye, then flexed his foot to find that the throbbing had ceased.

 **(** _Fever (Classic) – Dr. Luigi_ **)**

"There we go, good as new!" Dr. Yabui announced cheerfully, clapping his hands together.

"T-That's it?" Bun uncovered his ears, expressing confusion. "You made it sound so much worse than it actually was. Usually it's the other way around..."

"See, I didn't really know how bad it was going to be myself, but I just thought I would warn you in advance." The doctor shrugged. "Anyway, Kirby should be fine now. It's alright for him to walk around if he feels like it, but if he's still showing symptoms, I would like you to bring him back."

"Was it a dislocated bone?" Fumu inquired, inwardly cringing at the thought.

"No no, it wasn't _quite_ dislocated." Dr. Yabui retrieved the x-rays he set aside. "Since this is the first time I've ever had the chance to examine an x-ray of, well...whatever organism Kirby is, this is mostly speculation on my part. It appears his bones are capable of turning soft, and he can stretch in ways that aren't possible for even most invertebrates - it's his body's safety mechanism. If this had happened to you or me, the injury would have undoubtedly resulted in a broken or dislocated bone."

"So the bone in his ankle slightly shifted places when he fell but hardened in the wrong place." Fumu summarized aloud, mostly for her brother's sake. "And when you pushed it back into place, the bone and the muscles around it softened to minimize the pain."

"Exactly."

"Wow, that's really cool!" Bun exclaimed with awe, feeling a bit envious.

"However," The elder added, his tone turning stern. "This doesn't mean that you're immune from receiving broken bones. It's still very possible for this safety mechanism of yours to fail, as we've observed today. And I'll tell you upfront, setting a dislocated bone back into place is extremely painful. I know this was an accident, Kirby, but I want you to exercise more caution in the future."

"S...Sowwy..." His face fell at being scolded twice in one day.

"Now now, don't look so downcast." Dr. Yabui patted him on the head. "Nobody is upset with you. Just remember that there are people who would be sad if you were hurt. And broken bones aren't any fun - you have to wear a cast and lie in bed all day with nothing to do but stare at the ceiling. Or worse, watch Channel DDD."

Yabui's joke, if it could even be called such, was entirely lost on Kirby. Kirby was the sole resident of Cappy Village that actually enjoyed watching Channel DDD's programs, mainly because he was the only person that liked King Dedede. But being confined to his bed and forced to wear a cast sounded largely unappealing to him, so he decided it would be best to take the doctor's advice on this one and be more careful.

"On a completely different note, there's another matter concerning young Kirby's health that needs to be discussed before you go. I want both of you to look closely at this x-ray and tell me what you see."

Fumu and Bun did as the doctor asked, but couldn't find anything unusual aside from the earlier misplaced bone. They finally noticed after nearly a full minute of inspecting the photograph.

"T-Teeth...?" The siblings stuttered simultaneously.

"That's right. His baby teeth are coming in." Dr. Yabui nodded. "A few have already cut through the gums, and it looks like he's going to have a gap between his front teeth. I take it Kirby hasn't experienced too much discomfort as of yet, but if he starts complaining with sore gums, then it might be best to let me see. I assume his dental development patterns won't deviate too much from the norm..."

"Okay, we'll be sure to come back if anything happens." Fumu agreed. "Thank you for your time, Dr. Yabui."

"Tankyu." Kirby parroted as he hopped down from the table.

"Your welcome, just remember what I said earlier." He gently reminded on their way out.

"Wow...so Kirby's had that kind of ability all along..." Bun mused. "And after all the demon beasts he's fought, he ends up having to see the doctor because he tripped and fell...and he's going to have a gap in his teeth! That'll look hilarious! Think of what it'll be like if he has to get braces!"

"Bun, don't be mean." His sister frowned, not at all amused.

"I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just saying- _OOF!_ "

The boy collided directly into something, or rather someone, and fell face-first on the road. Fumu buried her face in her palm and held back a groan - at least they were near the clinic.

"H-Hey, watch where you're...Iroo?" He scrambled to his feet, proving he wasn't too hurt to stand. "Iroo...hey, why are you doing that?"

Upon noticing who it was he almost trampled, the young Cappy immediately averted his gaze and tried to pretend Bun wasn't there. Bun's initial confusion turned to anger as his friend continued to ignore him, no matter how many times he attempted to start a conversation or stepped into his line of vision. Eventually his temper got the better of him - he then grabbed Iroo by the shoulders and forcibly whirled him around.

"Iroo, what the heck?!" He yelled, shaking him lightly. "Why are you ignoring me? Do you think you're too good to be buddies with me anymore?!"

"Bun, stop it." Fumu ordered, prying his hands off of the now scared witless Cappy. "That isn't any way to behave, even if he is acting like a jerk."

"N-No, that isn't true!" Iroo squealed at last. "Papa said I'm not allowed to speak to you anymore...or see you, because of what Kirby did to the fields... Oh no, I just spoke to you! I'm doing it right now! I'm still doing it!"

"Oh...well, that explains everything." Bun said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I'm sorry about roughing you up like that just now. I wasn't thinking about _you_ getting into trouble with your dad over this... He came by Kirby's earlier this morning to chew him out, and things got real ugly real fast."

"I know. I've never seen papa this angry before." Iroo whispered as though Benjamin was rounding the corner at that very moment.

"But you don't really think Kirby ate all of his crops, do you?" Fumu pressed him.

"Uh, well..."

"Didn't do it..." Kirby mumbled miserably, earning another round of sympathetic pats from the siblings.

"What's going on over here?" A woman's soft voice asked from behind them.

The voice belonged to Lilah, Iroo's mother. She was holding a bag of groceries in one hand, apparently on her way home from Tago's supermarket. Unlike Benjamin, the aproned Cappy didn't seem the least bit hostile towards them, and Iroo himself seemed less panicked at being caught.

 **(** _Kakariko Village – The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds_ **)**

"Iroo, what's wrong? You look pale." Lilah asked, using her free hand to check his temperature.

"Um, Mrs. Lilah...you're not mad at us, are you?" Bun questioned carefully.

"What a strange thing to say! Why would I be...Wait a minute, this isn't about my husband, is it?"

Her response confirmed that Lilah was not at all involved in Benjamin's tirade against them. How Iroo wasn't aware of this said so much to Fumu and company about the communication level of this family...

"That look on your faces must mean 'yes'." She groaned, shaking her head. "What has that man done now?"

Fumu and Bun quickly recounted the morning's events to Lilah, along with some additional input from Iroo. By the time they were finished, the woman almost dropped her bag in shock.

"He was ranting and raving about having a talk with Kirby last night...but I never imagined he would actually do it! I thought he would have calmed down by now!" She set her groceries aside and scooped the pink puffball off the ground then crushed him to her chest. "Oh Kirby, you poor dear! I'm so sorry! My husband didn't scare you too badly, did he?"

If Kirby was telling the truth, then yes, Benjamin had scared him so badly that the young Star Warrior had nearly been convinced he _was_ guilty of the accused crime. But Lilah sounded so remorseful over the incident that Kirby could only reply with a little 'no'...and she was choking the life out of him at the moment - he couldn't say anything else if he tried!

The Cappy eventually released him from her grasp, her tender facial expression instantly turning cross. "Firstly Miss Fumu, your family doesn't owe us a thing, because Kirby didn't do this."

"You think Kirby's innocent too?" Fumu inquired, her mood instantly brightening.

"I _know_ he didn't take anything from our farm. Kirby stopped doing that over a year ago - he knows better now. If he gets hungry, he knows how to feed himself without stealing from anyone. And even when he was eating what he wanted from the fields, that boy never would have went this far!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Lilah!" Fumu clasped her hands together with joy.

"I know I shouldn't ask this of you, considering the day you've had, but please forgive my idiot husband." Lilah requested, having calmed down. "I know he's upset after losing all the crops we've worked so hard to raise, I am too, but that isn't any excuse for him to throw a temper tantrum. This may seem hard to believe, but Benjamin doesn't know over half of the things that come out of his mouth when he gets angry. Sometimes he goes to bed like that and wakes up forgetting why he was so upset in the first place!"

"Somehow, I don't think it's gonna be that simple this time..." Bun added with a frown.

"I know it won't, but give him some time to cool off and he'll start to put the pieces together. He'll realize that you were right and he was wrong, then he'll be at your door at the crack of dawn to apologize. And if he still tries to weasel out of an apology, I'll march him over myself."

"Does this mean I can still play with Kirby?" Iroo asked quietly.

Lilah rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, dumpling. But not today though; I still need your help with tending to the fields. Tomorrow, you're free to play to your hearts content."

"Wait a minute, Mrs. Lilah!" Fumu called out to her. "There must be something we can do to help..."

"That's very sweet of you to offer, but right now I think it's best to let Benjamin blow off steam until he's ready to listen to reason, and the best way for him to do that is with hard work. Our situation isn't nearly as bad as he made it sound. We'll be fine on our own...although, I would like to know what really ate all of our produce."

"We want to prove Kirby is innocent, so that's why we're going to search for the truth!"

"If anyone can, I'm confident it's you, Fumu. I would have called up Chief Borun to see if he had any ideas, but not while my husband is stirring up a bunch of nonsense. Just don't get into anything too dangerous during your hunt, and I'm sorry again for dragging you into this mess."

"You don't need to apologize, and we would have offered to help anyway."

Following those words, they said their goodbyes before parting ways, with Kirby, Fumu, and Bun ready to begin their hometown investigation.

* * *

After a mere three hours into the afternoon, the trio of friends had reached a dead end in their search - they were no closer to discovering the truth than they were this morning. Fumu and Bun spent time for the most part tossing around possible suspects, with Fumu eventually finding a way to invalidate each and every one.

Currently, Kirby and company were slumped against the side of his little dome house, completely at a loss on what their next form of action should be.

"Sis, I think we may have to throw in the towel on this one." Bun suggested after another long period of silence passed between them. "I mean, we can't even check out the fields for any hints or clues - old man Benjamin would blow a gasket if he saw us over there the way he's feeling right now."

"Bun, it's only been a few hours and you're ready to give up?" She questioned him incredulously. "I know that not having access to the scene of the crime is putting us at a disadvantage, but we can't let this go any further. Iroo's papa was right about one thing: if this were to happen again and if it happened enough times, the village would suffer as a result. See, Bun? We have to find the real culprit!"

"Aw geez...they make this detective business look so much easier on TV."

 **(** _Forest Area – Kirby's Adventure_ **)**

Suddenly, the three heard the sound of quickly approaching footsteps moving across the grass. Turning to face the source of the footfalls, they came face to face with an exhausted and out of breath Rick the Hamster. Without even waiting for himself to recover, words immediately began tumbling from his mouth.

"I've...been trying...to find you kids...all day..."

Kirby and the siblings were too stunned to speak at first; it was a rare sight indeed to see the normally laidback Rick in such a state. Before he could say anything more, he abruptly fell backwards and landed on his rear out of exhaustion. The three he had been searching for promptly rose from their places and crowded around him, concerned.

"Hey, are you gonna be okay?" Bun asked, sounding somewhat alarmed.

"I'll be fine...just give me a minute..." He waited until he had regained his breath before speaking again. "I heard you kids got into trouble with farmer Benjamin. I've been looking for you since I got the news...that was hours ago. Everywhere I was told I could find you, you three were already somewhere else."

"Wow, so the gossip's even reached your neck of the forest, huh?" Bun responded dryly.

"Didn't do it, poyo..." Kirby quietly declared for what felt like the twelfth time that day.

"Don't worry about it too much, Kirby." Rick gave him a comforting pat on the back with his furry paw. "Ol' farmer Benjamin hasn't got the opportunity to start blabbing to the other townsfolk yet. I heard about it from a...an ambiguously reliable source...Ok, it was Tokkori."

"Figures." Bun crossed his arms. "That jerk was probably watching from his nest the whole time!"

"But Rick, that doesn't explain why you've been trying to find us today." Fumu said, deciding she could be irritated with the yellow bird later.

"I came to find you because I know who really took the farmer's crops...and because I owe you an apology."

 **(** _I Saw Something Again... - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

"A-An apology?" Fumu could only stutter.

"Don't tell us **_you_** did it!" Bun exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"No, of course I didn't!" Rick replied, moving the boy's digit away from his face. "Ok, listen up. For the past few nights, me and a few others in Whispy Woods' Forest have been seeing some sort of...thing. A weird round creature."

Kirby's eyes widened, an immense feeling of dread overtaking him.

"We weren't too worried about it, since it hadn't given us any reason to...until now at least. Sometime late last night, I heard farmer Benjamin yelling all the way from the forest. Well, I went to see what was happening, and that round thing was gulping down the last of the vegetables like it was at an all-you-can-eat buffet! Then it rushed past me and dived into the deep parts of the woods, screaming at the top of its lungs."

The pink puffball pulled his feet close to him, feeling as though he was about to throw up last night's dinner.

 _"This is your fault."_ His conscience whispered.

He had been there mere minutes prior. He could have done something...and now Iroo's family were suffering the consequences of his cowardice.

"Rick, can you tell us anything describing what this creature looks like?" Fumu asked, unaware of Kirby's inner turmoil.

"Well, uh, its round...wait, I already said that. It's sort of little...smaller than Kirby. Its skin is dark. It's got big round eyes...and they glow at a distance. And it..." The hamster jumped backwards when Kirby suddenly shoved a piece of paper in his face. "...Looks exactly like that."

During their conversation, the pink puffball had quietly slipped away to inside his house, taking out a sheet of paper and a pack of crayons from his bedside drawer. Words would fail if he tried to explain himself now - this was the only way.

Fumu took the drawing from Kirby, both siblings gawking at it without uttering a word. However, the expressions that appeared on their faces was not due to the crudeness of the artwork, but the fact that Kirby somehow knew exactly what the creature looked like beforehand - and that the creature's appearance was reminiscent of something they both preferred not to think about.

"Anyway, that's all I can really tell you about the thing. If you want to know more, you might want to ask Kine. He should be down at the shore right about now."

With that, the hamster bid them farewell and returned to his home in Whispy Woods' Forest. Fumu and Bun remained eerily quiet as they continued staring at the drawing. Slowly, their gaze shifted from the piece of paper to the young Star Warrior, his own gaze glued to his feet - just like this morning.

"Kirby...Tokkori told us what happened last night." Fumu said softly, noticing his nervousness. "Is this thing what you saw last night? Was this what scared you?"

He nodded. "Yah."

The girl suddenly scowled, her voice taking on a much more fierce tone. "...Did this thing hurt you?"

He swiftly shook his head. "Fell!"

She seemed to visibly relax a bit at that. "Can you tell me what it was doing when you saw it?"

The puffball didn't say anything, but just when Fumu thought he wasn't going to cooperate, Kirby took several steps forward until he was directly in her face.

"Kirby, what are you-"

" ** _POOOOOYOOOOOOOO!_** "

The blonde staggered backwards at the sudden volume, letting out a small shriek of surprise of her own. Bun, however, was hunched over on the ground with his hands over his head in an attempt to block out the noise. Once Fumu regained her wits, she climbed back on her feet and sent the pink tot a flustered glare.

"K-Kirby! What was that- ...Oh, is...is that what happened last night? And then you ran away after that. You tripped and twisted your ankle when you were trying to get away."

The Star Warrior nodded ashamedly, but was left dumbfounded when he was pulled into a hug.

"Is that why you wouldn't say anything this morning? Because you were ashamed of running away?" She pulled him closer and tightened her hold. "Kirby, this wasn't your fault. You know that now, don't you?"

"No way was this your fault!" Bun added. "We'll catch this thing and prove you're not responsible together, so buck up already!"

 _"Honestly, if that creepy thing screamed in my face, I would have run away too."_ He thought, but his pride wouldn't allow him to admit this truth aloud.

A large smile took over Kirby's face as he let out a short sigh of relief, returning Fumu's hug. They weren't disappointed in him, even after knowing of his cowardice. Bun was right; he needed to gather his courage back and they would track this thing down.

Fumu unlatched herself from Kirby, turning towards the direction of the beach with determined eyes.

"Come on, we need to go find Kine."

* * *

 **(** _Perplexing Pool – Pikmin 2_ **)**

Kine was exactly where Rick said he would be, down at the ocean's shore towards the rocky side of the beach. The ocean sunfish was excited to see them, more so than usual in fact. However, the reason for this was revealed quickly - after so long of swimming the seas alone, Kine had found love.

"Her name is Mine, and she lives in the waters of Ripple Field!" He exclaimed, bouncing in and out of the water. "She's an ocean sunfish just like me, and her scales are the prettiest color of coral pink, and-"

He gushed over his new girlfriend for what felt like hours to the bored Bun. At first, he was able to get a few jokes in directed towards his sister about her being 'dumped', due to the fish's naïve attraction to her in the past. But now he was swiftly growing tired of, as the boy so intelligently called it, the 'mushy-gushy stuff'.

Fumu, however, was genuinely thrilled for her aquatic friend. Kine always did seem lonely to her, and Mine sounded like a lovely companion for him. The blonde hung onto every word he spoke, so much so that she had almost forgotten why they were here in the first place until her brother reminded her with a few persistent pokes to the elbow.

"And her eyes are so large and dark; like the blackest of pearls! And-"

"Kine, I've very happy to hear you've found someone you're so clearly fond of..." Fumu interrupted, her expression turning serious. "But we came here to ask you a few questions. This is very important and I need you to listen closely."

The three briefly relayed their current situation to him, the normally spacey ocean sunfish's attention never once wavering from the conversation.

"Yes, Rick was right. I did see that round thing one night a few days ago." Kine recalled. "I was swimming upstream when I saw it by the riverbank. I could hear it eating something and it was being very noisy. When I finally got brave enough to get closer, I saw that it was snatching fish up from the water and swallowing them whole!"

Kine shivered in fright, creating ripples in the shallow water. "Well, I decided then it might not have been best for me to be there at that particular moment...so I tried to swim away as quietly and as quickly as possible without being seen. Well, it didn't exactly work. Something tight and sticky wrapped around my back fin...it was its tongue. I swam as fast as I could before it could pull me out of the river, and the next thing I knew, it suddenly fell into the water and I was free! So I swam and swam, and I never looked back. I haven't seen it since that night."

"I guess you scared it off after knocking it into the river like that." Bun commented. "But none of that really helped us with our search."

"Oh..." He said dejectedly, sinking into the salty water.

"That isn't true at all." Fumu interjected, writing on a notepad she retrieved from her backpack. "From this, we've learned at least one of its biological advantages: its tongue!"

"T-That's right!" The ocean sunfish leaped into the air. "Coo might be able to help you! I heard him talking about seeing something strange a while ago. He should be waking up soon, so you might be able to find him if you hurry!"

"Thanks, Kine!" The blonde said, slinging her backpack over her shoulders. "And good luck with Mine! You need to bring her here sometime so we can meet her!"

Fumu, Bun, and Kirby then raced in the direction they knew the owl's nest was currently located - at the outer border of Whispy Woods' Forest.

* * *

The sun had just began its descent on the horizon, bathing everything in Dream Land in an orange glow. It was time for the birds to return to roost and the nocturnal creatures to awaken. Coo the owl had barely the time to preen himself when the children rushed up to the tree he resided in.

 **(** _Kaepora Gaebora – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_ **)**

"Hmm, now what's all this about?" Coo asked from his perch on one of the tree's branches. "Is Tokkori causing trouble for you again?"

"No, not this time." Fumu answered as she retrieved Kirby's drawing from her backpack. "Coo, have you seen anything lately that looks like this?"

"Y-Yes, indeed I have..." His voice faltered slightly. "Perchance, why do you wish to know?"

They recounted the day's events for what felt like the hundredth time, bringing Coo up to speed with the village's current events. The owl's eyes widened at the finishing of their tale.

"Goodness, that is quite the conundrum young Kirby's found himself in." He replied, ruffling his feathers a bit. "Very well, I'll tell you all that I know. Now, yesterday I was away visiting company at Big Forest, so I obviously didn't catch sight of the creature last night. However, a few nights ago as I was making my rounds, I found it wandering deep within these woods."

 _"There seems to be a pattern here..."_ Fumu thought, jotting down a few notes on the pad of paper. _"It's always nighttime when anyone sees this thing."_

"The poor creature almost looked lost, like it was unsure why it was even there to begin with." Coo continued. "Taking pity on it, I flew down to greet the fellow. As you can tell from that illustration, it possesses no legs or even feet, yet it moves with remarkable speed; it's lower body slides across the ground seemingly without any resistance. It fled from me each time I approached it. Finally, I managed to corner the strange creature, and do you know what it did the moment it realized it was trapped?"

Without waiting for his company to make a guess, the owl proceeded. "It screamed directly in my face! I have never heard such a ghastly sound in all my life! Its immense volume stunned me, allowing it the opportunity to flee. That was the closest I have been to the creature, but I have caught glimpses of it since then. I believe it's roaming the country at night while everyone is asleep and takes refuge here deep within the woods during the daylight hours."

"That's because this creature is nocturnal, like I thought." The blonde agreed. "That's why if we're going to catch this thing, now is the time to do it."

Before the three could take one step towards the forest, Coo screeched at them and furiously ruffled his feathers, making him appear twice as large as he actually was.

"Absolutely not! Have you gone mad, child?" He nearly squawked in reply. "Look at the sky! The sun has already begun to set, meaning nocturnal creatures such as myself are awaking. The time to seek this creature is during the sunlit hours when it is most likely sleeping, not the hour it has just risen!"

The owl seemed to deflate after that, returning to his original size. "I understand completely that you want to prove Kirby's innocence, but charging off into the woods at this time when you are aware something unknown is lurking there is irresponsible! I had assumed this creature was merely timid in nature... Now I see that it has the potential to be dangerous. I know under these circumstances it's difficult to be patient, but please wait until morning when you have the advantage."

"You're right, Coo..." Fumu reluctantly agreed. "It would make more sense to catch it by surprise while it's sleeping..."

"Darn it! You got me all fired up for nothing!" Bun whined. "Kirby, you're a Star Warrior. Can't you go in there and do your thing so we can get this over with?"

"Poyo..." Kirby's feet felt like jelly at the prospect of facing off against the blobby being, no matter how much he tried to remind himself he had defeated much more frightening foes.

"Now that's enough of that." Coo spoke again with a tone of finality. "Return home; I'm certain your parents have supper waiting for you right about now. And don't try sneaking out here in the middle of the night, young lady! These peepers of mine are staying peeled!"

Fumu and Bun had to laugh quietly to themselves at that; the owl was just like an over attentive grandpa sometimes, despite him not being that old.

Suddenly, the wise owl's words made them recall something they had forgotten about entirely. The siblings gasped in alarm and turned to face each other, crying out in perfect unison.

"We forgot about Mama and Papa!"

* * *

 **(** _Stardust Fields – Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ **)**

To say their parents were upset upon their return was an understatement. While Parm and Memu were mostly thankful their children and Kirby were still in one piece, the pair had been left wondering just what had transpired last night for the entire day, only growing more worried with each passing hour.

"I thought you had gone back to Bababagahara!" Memu shouted as she paced around the living room floor.

If one thing was for certain, Memu would never let them forget the Bababagahara incident for as long as they lived. Weeks went by before she could allow them to leave the castle without suffering a mini panic attack when they were even a few seconds late to the dinner table. Granted, learning one of your children was almost devoured by a giant spider, a giant snake, and a flesh-eating plant in that exact order would do that to any loving mother.

Fumu and Bun retold the full story of their day, unabridged, thankfully for the final time, to their parents. Parm and Memu let themselves relax a bit, but a new worry filled their hearts when thinking about Kirby's situation.

"I think it would be best if Kirby stays here for the night." Memu suggested, adding the next sentence as a hushed whisper. "If he tries walking home alone again, that creature may get brave enough to attack him."

"I was thinking the same thing." Her daughter replied. "Kirby, is sleeping over alright with you? If you're still unsure, we're having meat fillet for dinner tonight..."

That was all it took to convince the hungry puffball, who let out a hearty 'poyo' at the mention of food. With all the running around the three had done today, eating a proper meal had been the last thing on even Kirby's mind.

Once dinner was finished, Fumu and Bun brought their newly formed plan into action. While it was true they agreed to wait until morning to hunt down and apprehend the blob-like creature, both of them ultimately came to the conclusion that leaving it unsupervised was out of the question.

Using a pair of binoculars equipped with night vision Bun had swiped from King Dedede when he wasn't looking (yet another one of Dedede's flight of fancy purchases that the boy doubted he would notice was missing), the two would take turns surveying the village from their balcony for any signs of suspicious activity. They settled on switching out every two hours, with one taking time to sleep while the other was on watch duty.

It was decided early on that Kirby be exempt from their lookout schedule since it was obvious the poor puffball hadn't rested well the previous night. He was currently sprawled out in the middle of Fumu's bed, lying on his belly as his soft snores filled the room. The blonde didn't know if she would have the heart to move him aside even the smallest amount when her turn ended.

"This is getting kind of dumb, sis." Bun admitted while they were changing shifts, though he was mostly grumpy over being woken up. "Why didn't Kirby just beat that thing like he did with all the demon beasts so we wouldn't have to do this!"

"Bun, how could you say something so mean?!" She reprimanded while still keeping her voice low. "I know you're tired; I am too, but none of this is Kirby's fault. Something about that creature is obviously different from anything else Kirby's ever faced for him to have been so reluctant to fight it...and I have no idea what it could be."

Silence fell between them, neither wanting to say aloud what the mysterious being may actually be - they didn't want to think about it.

"Maybe we should find Sir Meta Knight and ask him for help." He proposed quietly, sounding the slightest bit afraid.

 **(** _Garry's Theme – Ib_ **)**

A frown found its way on Fumu's lips at hearing his suggestion. The two had scarcely spoken with the veteran Star Warrior since Nightmare's defeat, the remaining evidence of his continued presence reduced to fleeting, nearly cryptic sightings within the darkest confines of the castle - It was almost as if he had become a phantom. Were it not for the frequent appearances of his two squires, Sword and Blade, on their daily patrols, she would have almost assumed the knight had departed Castle Dedede without so much as a word of farewell.

Even without accounting Sword and Blade, she knew Meta Knight would not have left without saying something to them first. And should he ever leave, it wouldn't be for too long, because he made a vow, witnessed only by Fumu, to watch over and guide the younger Star Warrior for the rest of his days.

 _"For as long as I live..."_

 _"You've decided to watch over Kirby?"_

 _"Not only me. You as well."_

However, she never considered him renouncing his vow now that Kirby had proved himself a full-fledged Star Warrior by defeating Nightmare, The Emperor of Darkness and former ruler of the universe, something past Star Warriors tried for centuries to accomplish and tragically lost their lives as a result.

However, prodigy Star Warrior or not, Kirby was still a child, and it seemed Fumu was the only one to understand what that meant. Kirby too had been left pondering the circumstances surrounding the swordsman's disappearance. Even if there were no demon beasts to speak of anymore and therefore no reason for Kirby to continue training, the least the knight could do was pop by and say 'hello' to his young apprentice every now and then instead of behaving like a complete and total recluse.

Her frown turned into a grimace. "No. We'll have this entire situation dealt with by the end of tomorrow. Take my word on it."

"H-Huh?" Bun stuttered, confused by the sudden bitterness in her tone.

After swapping places at several points throughout the night, the time falling somewhere around two in the morning, it was once again Bun's turn to be on lookout. He had been the one most enthusiastic over the idea of a stakeout, but now the younger of the two found it much less exciting than he initially thought it would be.

He released a powerful yawn as tears pricked the corners of his concealed eyes. He couldn't remember ever experiencing such unparalleled boredom. Leaned back in his chair and wrapped up in a blanket to ward off the chilly night breeze, Bun felt his eyelids dragging downwards, getting heavier and heavier.

He accidentally fell asleep.

By the time Bun returned to consciousness, the sun had just begun its ascension over the horizon. He jolted upward at the realization he had nodded off while on shift and hurriedly reached for the binoculars fastened around his neck.

The boy let out a gasp of horror at what he saw in the distance. He flung open the balcony door and rushed into his sister's room. He was at her bedside in an instant, shaking her frantically until she awoke. Kirby rolled off of the bed somewhere during the commotion, making a noise that sounded like a muffled squeak when he hit the floor.

"Bun! What's wrong with-" Fumu questioned angrily, but whatever complaint she had in store for him was quickly forgotten following Bun's next sentence.

"Sis, Cappy Village is **_trashed!_** "

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This chapter is the longest thing I've written ever, and it was finished in less than a month - I started writing this chapter immediately after posting the last one. The best part is, I didn't even have to do any post editing - I'm that satisfied with how this thing turned out.

For anyone that may be confused about Iroo's parents, Benjamin is that one Cappy with the bushy eyebrows and mustache that led an angry mob against Kirby for eating their watermelons in the seventh episode of the anime "Revenge! Dynablade / Kirby's Egg-Cellent Adventure", which is why he's one of Cappy Village's farmers in this story. Lilah doesn't stand out as much in comparison, but she's always wearing an apron and a muffin hat. As for their names, they didn't come from any official source - they're just names I chose at random that seemed to suit them.

I ended up inserting some of my own headcanons about Kirby's biology in this chapter. Kirby does actually have bones - there's official art that shows what his skeleton looks like! As for him eventually having teeth, I realize this is something that not all members of the fandom enjoy, but I personally think he would look very cute with a gap. (Though I am a bit biased, considering I have one myself...)

I really wanted all three Animal Friends of Dream Land 2 to make an appearance of some kind in this chapter, so I thought the best way to do that is for them to be questioned as witnesses during Fumu's investigation - hence the title 'Hometown Investigations'. While I'm on the subject of the Animal Friends, Coo is my favorite of the Dream Land 2 trio. I love birds, especially owls, so he obviously ended up as my favorite, but I'll try not to let this influence my writing and give him spotlight over Rick and Kine - I like them too!

Anyway, this mystery, if you can even call it that at this point, will be wrapped up by the end of the next chapter. To those who were anticipating 'Hometown Investigations' ending with Kirby and co. in an old-fashioned western standoff against the true culprit, I apologize. Maybe in the next chapter, though!


	4. A Troublesome Matter

Chapter 4 - A Troublesome Matter

It took a few seconds for her to fully process his statement. Fumu could only gape at him, mouth slightly ajar as if waiting for Bun to suddenly burst out into a fit of chuckles and admit it was the punchline to a poorly thought out joke - but she knew it wasn't when her younger brother ducked his head and bit his lower lip, his fists tightly clenched and shaking in what the girl thought was of rage or fright.

The blonde leapt out of bed, scooping Kirby up off the floor as she raced into the living room. Apparently Bun's earlier commotion had woken their parents, because Parm and Memu were standing side by side near their own bedroom door, both with expressions of bewilderment and worry.

"Fumu, Bun, is something wrong?" Memu asked with a hint of dread.

"It's happened again, Mama." Her daughter answered grimly.

"Oh no...what is it this time?"

"The entire village."

 **(** _Existence (piano) – CLANNAD_ **)**

Memu's body seemed to tilt back at that, shock visible on her features. She stumbled towards the couch, feeling the will to stay upright leaving her. Parm was at his wife's side in an instant, taking hold of her hand and giving it a small squeeze of comfort.

Fumu started towards the door to the hallways, but her mother's voice stopped her. "You aren't going out there, are you?"

"I need to see if everyone in town is okay, and it should be safe now. Coo said he was sure it's only brave enough to come out at night."

"Alright..." She relented, heaving a sigh. "But please, promise me you'll be careful."

"We will, mama. I'll be back later, I promise." With that, she took off down the hallways with Kirby following closely after. Bun was the last to leave, calling out to his sister pleading not leave him behind.

Parm patted the smaller hand in his grasp as he took a seat next to Memu, his eyebrows furrowed. They had always known that the foes Kirby faced were dangerous, but it was only after Nightmare's eventual defeat that the pair learned of the extent. Their children and Kirby (who they often thought of as their child) were certainly capable, yes, but they were still _children_ \- the mere thought of them going up against, let alone being _near_ such bloodthirsty beings chilled them to the bone.

And they only heard the worst of it after everything was said and done. Once the more harrowing details of Kirby's battles had begun to seep their way into casual conversation, the parents were understandably mortified. However, they were willing to let it pass for two reasons; the first being that they no longer had any reason to fear for their children's safety in that regard, and the second being they knew Sir Meta Knight had always watched over them.

When the swordsman was first employed, Memu had not trusted a single step he took - anyone King Dedede would speak so highly of had to be trouble with a capital 't'. If the knight so much as breathed in the wrong direction, she saw it as a cause for alarm, being the rightfully concerned mother that she is. However, he soon proved himself to be of an entirely different character from their king; he became trustworthy in their eyes.

He was perhaps the sole reason why she and Parm eventually let the incident at Bababagahara go forgiven so easily (but it was certainly never allowed to be forgotten). Memu had been fully prepared to punish both children accordingly for not only journeying to the forbidden jungle, but lying to her about it by claiming the supplies for said journey were for a picnic.

Fumu, Bun, and Kirby had been missing for two days before they returned under the knight's watchful eye.

Had anything happened to them, she would have undoubtedly been thrown into the jailhouse with Dorun the kleptomaniac on charges of assault and battery for pummeling the king of Dream Land until he was unrecognizable.

Ever since then, both parents had an entirely new level of respect for Meta Knight - he had evolved into a silent protector. But the silent half of his persona had become too much as of late; even Parm and Memu took notice of the stark decrease in appearances he made around the castle. While it had saddened them that he still refrained from coming out into the open and socializing, there was also an immense comfort in knowing there was no longer any reason to feel as anxious over the children's safety - the demon beasts were gone, after all, according to their daughter.

But now something dangerous was roaming Dream Land once again, something with an eerily similar profile to the enemies Kirby had faced so frequently in the past.

Memu held her husband's hand tighter. "After everything those children have done for peace in this country...was it really all for nothing?"

* * *

"Sis c'mon, _please_ wait up!"

She wouldn't even spare him a single glance of acknowledgement. Bun knew she had every right to be upset with him, but he must have really screwed up **big time** to be on the receiving end of the silent treatment, something Fumu had once considered to be beneath her.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep, but you know I didn't mean to! ...You can't ignore me forever."

Kirby nibbled at his paw worriedly as they walked down the path to the wrecked Cappy Village. He had seen the siblings at odds with each other plenty of times, but never like this. Fumu refused to respond in even the slightest of ways towards her brother's words or actions - she was that angry with him and showed no signs of calming down anytime soon.

Kirby just wanted them to be friends again. Friends disagreed at times and got mad at each other, but they didn't completely ignore the other's existence.

 **(** _A Little Kerfuffle – Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon_ **)**

As they neared closer to their destination, the three began to notice an alarming amount of sheep scattered around the village outskirts. They were everywhere - near the river, up on the hilltops, in the bushes, on the road, one had even somehow managed to climb up a tree and had fallen asleep there.

By the time they reached the mayor's estate, the reason for the sudden outbreak of wandering sheep became clear. The fence that kept them confined to the farm was demolished, the wood from the structure knocked over and broken into bits. The mayor's house seemed to have been left untouched, with Mayor Len and his family also thankfully looking no worse for wear.

"Mayor Len, what's happened here?" Fumu asked concernedly. "Is everyone alright?"

"Yes Miss Fumu, my family and I are alright by some miracle..." He answered, though with a hint of woe in his tone. "As for what happened, I'm sure you've seen the state of my fence and the runaway sheep on your way here. Last night something scared the daylights out of them. In their panic, they knocked over the fence and escaped. It'll take me forever to track them all down..."

"Do you have any idea what could have caused this?"

"Before the fuss started, I heard the most terrible sound! It was this gurgling...slurping sort of noise, followed by a hair-raising shriek! I went outside to see what was the matter and spotted something running away into town, but by then it was too late. However, as far as I know, it seems none of my sheep were harmed for once, so I suppose I should be grateful for that."

"Uh, Mr. Mayor..." The shepherd lingering behind him hesitantly interjected. "There's, uh, there's a sheep stuck on the roof. We can't get it to come down, no matter what we do."

"What?! But...but how did it even...? I'll be right there." Mayor Len shook his head. "You'll have to excuse me, children; I have something I need to attend to. Oh, when I find the prankster that did this, I'll give him such a good bonk on the noggin..."

Fumu briefly whirled around to face Bun, only to fiercely narrow her eyes at him and scowl. She then turned her attention away from her brother and continued ignoring him just as she had earlier, stomping off in the direction of the village with the two boys following closely behind.

The tension in the air was so thick, it could have been cut with a knife.

It only became worse as the group of three grew closer to the disaster zone. The windows to one house were shattered, glass littering the ground outside. The door to another was lying in the yard, the doorknob no longer attached. Yet another had a gaping hole in its side, with the interior not much better off from what little they could see from where they were standing.

Fumu's anger began to dissipate just a bit when she noticed the Cappies that lived there were nowhere to be found. She tried to convince herself that they were most likely somewhere safe and unharmed, but as she continued to take in the conditions of their homes, the worried half of her mind won through.

Her quickened pace turned into a full blown sprint. The three charged into Cappy Village and were shocked to discover the buildings and shops were in even worse shape than the houses located on the outskirts.

 **(** _Peach Misfortune – Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ **)**

Bun had not been exaggerating when he said the town had been trashed. Literal trash was strewn about on the usually spotless streets. Small shards of glass from the broken windows and other types of debris were spread around their feet like confetti; watching where one stepped became a necessary precaution to avoid injury. Almost every structure present in the village had suffered some form of damage.

It was like the entire town had been raided.

Town square was flooded with the citizens of Dream Land, everyone in an uproar as they shared their horrifying experiences of the previous night. As Fumu scanned the crowds, she eventually located Dr. Yabui underneath the large tree that served as a centerpiece to the village. In front of him stood a line of Cappies, and from the looks of things, it seemed they were waiting to be examined.

Bun felt his heart rise up to his throat, clenching his teeth and pulling at the strap of his overalls out of stress. If someone had been badly hurt, or even worse, the boy didn't know if he would be able to stand there and take it. He suddenly felt something small and soft slip into his free hand. He turned his attention downwards to see Kirby gazing up at him, a tiny frown on his lips.

 _I know you didn't mean for this to happen._ \- That was what the young Star Warrior's expression seemed to say. Bun managed to give him a grin in return pretending everything was alright, but even the normally blissfully unaware Kirby could tell how forced it was.

"Dr. Yabui!" Fumu called out to the busy doctor. "Please, I need to know if everyone is alright!"

"You can put your worries to rest; no one's been hurt too badly by this sudden turn of events. I think the worst cases here are a few minor scrapes because of all this glass, but no one has any permanent or life changing injuries by some stroke of luck."

The blonde let out a huge sigh of relief; her two biggest concerns had been put to rest: The first being that all the townsfolk were more or less okay, and the second being that nobody was pinning the blame on Kirby for the current state of the village.

"As for my clinic, two of the windows are broken and stuff has been thrown around in there, but it's nothing that can't be fixed."

"Thank you, Dr. Yabui." She thanked him with relief evident in her tone, then ran off to check on the other residents of Cappy Village.

"Bun, are you feeling alright?" The old doctor asked before he could join his sister. "You're looking a bit queasy there... Well, I suppose this entire situation has been very frightening for you. I understand completely."

"Y-Yeah..." The boy managed to choke out.

He hated anyone suggesting he was afraid of something even when it was true, but he would rather falsely admit to being afraid than tell Dr. Yabui the true reason behind his rapidly developing nausea.

"But don't you worry. You have Fumu as your kind, dependable older sister. Times like these are where family and friends are supposed to stick together and support each other the most."

"Y-Yeah..." He repeated, sounding even more faint.

Fumu flinched a little at that, having heard snippets of their conversation from a short distance away. She glanced at her younger brother, looking guilt-ridden and miserable over the destruction he honestly believed he was responsible for.

 _"He doesn't deserve this kind of treatment."_ Her conscience rang. _"Least of all from his own sister."_

And she knew this was true. After everything the trio had witnessed this morning, Fumu was beginning to realize that even if Bun had not botched their surveillance schedule, preventing most of this mayhem would have been impossible. The creature that caused this was clearly more powerful than they first imagined, so this would have happened anyway in some form or fashion - most likely as collateral damage from confronting the culprit head-on.

Yet her own stubborn anger would not let her concede to this fact. She tried to reason with herself that she was still upset with him for doing something irresponsible, but in reality, she was taking her rage out on him for something that was out of his control.

So she pretended to scoff and turned her back on her brother.

Dr. Yabui clucked to himself as Bun dejectedly returned to her side, Kirby worriedly following behind. The doctor may be getting up there in years, but he was far from clueless. It was blatantly obvious to him that the two siblings had a falling out of some sort - over what, he couldn't be sure, but he was aware that Fumu had been listening. He wasn't going to set them to the side and force them to make peace; reconciliation was only possible under their own power.

His words may have been meager, but he hoped it was enough to get the ball rolling.

* * *

Town square had been converted to a villagers-in-distress support group meeting within the span of little under an hour. It was to be expected, since this was one of the biggest disasters to ever strike Cappy Village, on par with Dyna Blade's rampage, the sheep's rebellion, the Scarfy outbreak, Phan Phan's singlehanded stampede, and the Destroya fleet sent by Nightmare.

Mostly, everyone was thankful no one had suffered any serious injury, but the fact still remained that their village was in shambles. Damages varied from minimal to the near need to rebuild some structures from scratch. However, buildings weren't the only casualties of this incident; just like Benjamin, several other farmers were robbed of their precious produce they so carefully raised.

And that was only the tip of the iceberg.

 **(** _Myouga – Inuyasha_ **)**

"It ate my entire stock!" Tago almost wailed as he stood by his ransacked grocery store. "It even ate all the ice cubes in the freezer section! What kind of sick, twisted, depraved monster would do this?!"

"I know how you feel." Gangu patted his friend's back sympathetically. "None of my stock was damaged too bad, but it took out almost the entire back wall of my store."

"And it was screaming the entire time!" The grocery store owner shouted out in anguish. "How can something do that and stuff practically everything I own in its mouth at the same time?!"

"I don't know what that thing was, but I bet I know who might..." Gangu suggested in a surprisingly intimidating tone with narrowed eyes directed towards Castle Dedede.

"Uwaaaah!" Kawasaki bleated at seeing the mess his restaurant was in. "My store is ruined! Nobody will ever come to eat here at this rate! Just look at my kitchen! It left me with a mountain of garbage to clean up and battered my trash can for no reason!"

The dismayed chef was wildly gesturing from his establishment to the receptacle as though they were the only items to have been vandalized throughout this entire ordeal. However, Fumu and Bun could agree that Kawasaki's trash can was in far worse shape than Kirby's had been; they probably wouldn't have guessed what it was if they hadn't been told. Perhaps the Gordo spike alloy did have some use after all...

"Kawasaki, how did it ever get into this shape?" Fumu asked with wide eyes.

"Well, I woke up late last night when I heard banging and cluttering coming from the kitchen. When I went to go see, I saw this round, googly-eyed thing in the middle of the floor. I could hear its lips smacking, it swallowing - noisiest eater I've ever heard in my life! Then it must of decided to take picks from my trash can next. I got the idea to hit it with my frying pan and knock it unconscious while it was distracted, but then it threw my own trash can at me...repeatedly! That's why my windows and walls look like that now...but everything in the kitchen inventory was already way past its expiration date anyway, so lucky me!"

With that rather loud declaration at the end, a few eavesdropping Cappies began whispering to themselves about never eating at Kawasaki's again, much to the chef's further horror.

" ** _Nooooo!_** It was just a joke! Please come back!" He begged pathetically, chasing after one of them and latching onto their foot. "I always use only the most fresh ingredients in all of my dishes, I promise! **_Please eat at my restaurant!_** "

Mabel was the next the trio encountered, holding the fractured remains of her beloved crystal ball inside a glass jar, which was seated upon a purple satin star-shaped pillow. She was handling the situation better than most were, but anyone could tell the fortune teller was distraught in her own way.

"Everything about this is terrible." She grumbled. "That little atrocity did _this_ to my crystal ball - my most cherished family heirloom! And you don't even want to know what it did to the rest of my belongings."

"Mabel, are you alright?" A masculine, yet mellow voice asked concernedly, belonging to Samo, the town's bartender.

"A-Am I alright? Look at yourself!" Mabel nearly shrieked, pointing to his arms covered in cuts and bruises of every shape and size.

"Oh, those..." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I was closing up for the night when suddenly something large crashed through my window. It was that round blue thing everyone is talking about. It was making a fuss and started crashing into furniture and swinging objects around - the stools, a lamp or two, even the cash register. I took cover under the countertop and shielded my head as wine bottles went flying from the shelves. By the time things settled down, the creature had already left by jumping through a hole in the wall it made sometime during the chaos."

"Good gracious, Samo you're a sight. And here you are worrying about me..." Mabel shook her head with a sigh. "Go find Dr. Yabui and get your arms patched up right away. Last I saw of him, he was under the great oak tree."

"Y-Yes, Mabel..." Came his meek reply, obediently trundling towards the direction of the village's doctor.

Immediately after the barkeep left, the distinct smell of something ablaze filled the air. A hush fell over the crowd when a few Cappies cleared the way to reveal a more haggard than usual Gus, his hair standing on end as smoke came off in waves from his body. The mechanic's expression was that of a man who has seen it all.

"...I think what happened to me is pretty self-explanatory."

With that said, Gus sauntered off elsewhere, taking the near overpoweringly offensive fumes of burnt gasoline with him. Everyone present let out a deep sigh.

Just when Kirby and the siblings thought the townsfolk's state of affairs couldn't possibly get more outrageous, then came Curio staggering down the street with one of the ancient Dream Land civilization's clay jars he excavated from the ruins slammed over his head.

"Someone please help me..." He moaned pitifully, his voice sounding terribly muffled from inside the jar.

 _"Stars above, someone please put a stop to this never ending guilt trip."_ Bun thought desperately, chewing on his fingernails until they were worn down to the nub.

As Mabel and Gangu tried to remove the clay jar from Curio's head (ignoring the professor's pleas to refrain from harming the artifact), Mosu, the village's elderly mail carrier, stepped into town square. Half of his long white beard was missing along with his left eyebrow. The old Cappy didn't offer any explanation regarding what brought the loss of his facial hair; instead, he faithfully continued carrying out his duty of hand-delivering the townsfolk's letters during this time of crisis as though nothing were wrong.

And somehow, that was enough for Bun to reach his breaking point. He had seen and heard enough in less than an hour to not sleep for months. No, now sleep would only be a cruel reminder of what he unwittingly allowed to be unleashed upon the poor undeserving citizens of Cappy Village.

Bun scuffled away from the group with his head low, unable to take anymore. Fumu noticed his departure, but didn't make any moves to stop him. In her state of animosity, she thought it was best to let him stew over witnessing the results his actions had brought.

 **(** _Inside the Pirate Ship – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker_ **)**

From somewhere behind, the blonde heard a quiet but forced cough. Turning around, she came face to face with Iroo's parents, Benjamin no longer holding the same fiery attitude as the day before. The farmer was hesitantly shuffling from side to side as if stalling, only to receive a sharp jab in the side courtesy of Lilah.

"My husband has something he would like to say to you." Lilah said sweetly enough, but Fumu could hear the force behind her words. "Go ahead, _sweetie pumpkin_."

"I...I may have been a bit rash in my judgement..." He cleared his throat again awkwardly, obviously stalling. "In light of recent events, it would seem that Kirby is in fact not guilty of stealing the crops from my farmland. ...andI'msorry..."

"What was that?" His wife seemed thoroughly unimpressed with his apology. "I don't think they heard you, Benji. Try speaking a little louder this time."

"I...I'm sorry." Benjamin repeated, sounding far more sincere. "I was so angry. I jumped to conclusions and didn't even think about the facts. That isn't any excuse for the way I acted, though. I probably caused a lot of trouble for you yesterday. I really am sorry..."

"It's not me you should be apologizing to, Mr. Benjamin." Fumu replied, gesturing to Kirby. "It's _him_ you should be asking forgiveness from."

He redirected his attention to the pink puffball, who peered up at him quizzically followed by a tilt of his head. Benjamin could hardly believe this was the same child he had yelled at with such unimaginable fury a little over twenty-four hours ago, now staring at him so innocently as though the occurrence had never taken place - it made him feel _terrible_.

"I'm so sorry; sorry for yelling at you, for accusing you of something you didn't and wouldn't do, and for not believing you when the truth was right there in front of me. I know I probably don't deserve it, but-"

Kirby reached out to take one of the large Cappy's hands and smiled at him understandingly. "It's okay...said enough...did good, did good, poyo. No hard feelings."

And just like that, Benjamin was forgiven before he could even finish his apology.

"You did very well, Benji." Lilah nodded towards her husband. "It took a little coaxing to get it out of you, but I'm proud you did the right thing."

 _"What is she talking about?"_ Bun thought incredulously. _"She practically elbowed him to death before he would even say anything..."_

Once it was understood that everything was forgiven, the couple left in search of their son, who was somewhere amongst the throng of distressed Cappies. Kirby then turned around to face Fumu, an almost expectant look on his face as he glanced from her to Bun, who was hidden away out of his sister's line of sight.

"Hmm? What is it, Kirby?" She asked, confused. "...What? Why are you staring at me like that?"

He responded with probably the most irritable 'poyo' the girl had ever heard. With a surprisingly deep frown on his lips, the puffball almost stomped away from her as he shook his head.

 _"What...what was that about?"_ Fumu thought, utterly dumbfounded.

"Fumu! What are you doing here at a time like this?" Familiar voices belonging to two young males exclaimed in shock and concern.

 **(** _Wigglytuff's Guild Remix – Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

Turning around once again, she was surprised to find Castle Dedede's two squires, Sword and Blade. Unsurprisingly, their lord was not accompanying them. Apparently even this widespread destruction was not enough to draw the knight from his seclusion.

"I could ask both of you the same question!" She ran over to greet them.

"Damage control." Blade was the first to answer. "We saw what had happened on the way to our stations early this morning. Of course, by the time we came here, there was nothing we could do."

"Still, we're doing our best to give at least a little reassurance to the townspeople." Sword said, taking in their surroundings with a sigh. "They definitely need it right now. It'll take a while to rebuild the town, so we thought lending a hand would be a good course of action to take."

"That's very kind of you both." Fumu smiled.

"Hey, where's Bun and Kirby?" Sword questioned, taking notice of their absence.

"Kirby is acting kind of strange today; he stomped off without a word for some reason. As for Bun...I don't care where he is."

She said the last part of her sentence with such hostility, it stunned the two squires into silence. They turned to face each other as though daring the other to be the first to speak.

Fumu and Bun had always been close, and while they did have occasional arguments, it was usually not serious and was resolved fairly quickly. Sword and Blade could certainly understand bickering among siblings, but now of all times was when they suddenly decide to despise each other?

"Ah, well..." Blade trailed off, unsure of what to say. "It might be best if they're found soon. We're encouraging everyone to stick together, so..."

"The danger is over for now, though." She stubbornly argued. "That creature responsible for this mess is afraid of the light. It only comes out at night when it thinks it's safe."

"Uh, I don't know how you know that, but I'll take your word for it." Sword replied, mentally noting that they were getting nowhere towards encouraging them to make up.

"Coo told me. He, Rick, and Kine were the first to see it in Whispy Woods' Forest, but it wasn't causing any trouble for anyone until the other night."

"I see... Fumu, what else can you tell us about this thing?" Blade inquired, turning the conversation towards forming a successful strategy. "We know now that it hates bright lights, so maybe we can use that against it somehow."

The blonde took off her backpack, reaching into it to retrieve her notepad when Bun and Kirby came thundering down the street, their eyes wide with urgency. The boy suddenly doubled over, clutching his side painfully, and the sudden fear of her little brother being hurt overrode her aggravation with him.

"Sis, there's a riot going down at the police station...or at least what's left of it."

"A riot? _Why?!_ " She cried out in alarm.

"I don't know all the facts, but everyone is looking for something or someone to blame, and the chief is right in the center of it! Things are getting real ugly real fast!"

With no time to waste, they rushed over to the police station as though their very lives depended on it.

* * *

 **(** _Mayor's Meeting – The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D_ **)**

A crowd of citizens armed with broken pieces of furniture and other personal belongings were clustered in front of Chief Borun, who stood in front of his wrecked police station looking not too far away from experiencing a panic attack. He tried calling for some form of order at multiple instances, but his voice was quickly swallowed up by the nearly deafening shouts of the enraged townsfolk.

"My house is totally wrecked from the inside out! I don't even have a bed anymore! Where am I supposed to sleep tonight, huh?!"

"Isn't it the police's job to apprehend criminals? Isn't that what you've always said, Chief Borun? Then why haven't you done anything about this yet?!"

"All of our crops have been taken and Tago's grocery store is completely dry! How are we supposed to survive like this?"

"There's a sheep in my living room!"

Everyone present had a complaint or concern of some kind, which was entirely reasonable in this time of uncertainty. But what wasn't reasonable was their hounding of the chief, who was just as unsure and confused as they were.

Some were casting the blame on Chief Borun for not doing something to capture the one responsible for this act of wide scale vandalism, though knowing fully well that he couldn't have possibly stopped the creature's path of destruction alone.

Many were incriminating _one another_ for their losses. Neighbor against neighbor, all because someone had not come to somebody's aid fast enough, accusing them of saving their own possessions while others focused on safely getting away from harm.

Yet another group turned their attention to the original source of their past grievances - King Dedede was obviously involved in this escapade one way or another. The question was how, and where was he now that the trouble has come to a head?

"Sword, Blade, where is King Dedede anyway?" Fumu asked, having to yell to be heard despite the squires standing directly next to her. "Shouldn't he have made an appearance of some kind by now? There's no way he could have just ignored this."

"We haven't seen him in _days_." Sword replied. "It certainly is suspicious that he disappeared right before the town was attacked, isn't it?"

"Now...now everyone, let's all calm down and-" Chief Borun once again attempted to pacify the crowd, only to narrowly miss being struck by a wooden chair flung at him by a particularly muscled Cappy in the back of the audience.

 **(** _Bartmania A – SpongeBob SquarePants_ **)**

"Alright, which one of you threw that at my husband?!" Sato growled, her usual gentle demeanor instantly evaporating, grabbing the offending chair and swinging it around recklessly. "Come on, which one of you?! Stand up nice and tall so I can see you!"

The riot then turned into a madhouse. Objects of every kind were tossed. Insults and several choice words Kirby had no business hearing were exchanged. Sword and Blade were squires, yes, but they weren't certain how to handle this sort of situation. All they could do at the moment was prevent any projectiles from harming the children in their presence.

" ** _I've got it!_** " Kawasaki's voice abruptly broke through the rampaging crowd; all eyes were now on him.

"Let's all go down to my restaurant and talk about this over lunch!"

A moment of pure stillness passed over, several civilians stopping to blankly stare at one another...before ultimately resuming their act of hurling random objects, this time at the talentless chef. Kawasaki promptly excused himself from the scene when an old boot belted him in the forehead. Even as he scurried down the street yelping like a scalded dog, items of every size were still being lobbed in his direction.

"That...was not his smartest decision; both in business and in life." Bun remarked - something with which Fumu, Kirby, and the squires could unarguably agree.

"Aw stars, they're all going to kill each other." Sword observed, sounding far too casual as he sliced through a heavy wooden table that was about to land where they were currently standing. "...Wanna go find a safer spot and watch?"

His suggestion was met with a unanimous row of glares, save for Blade, who was likewise wearing his full suit of armor, but Sword knew his brother well enough to guess that he wasn't smiling either.

"Okay, I guess somebody needs to do something..." He said, glancing at the brawling villagers from a short distance away. "But what? Just look at them - right now they want something to take their anger out on, and that something is sadly their own friends and neighbors."

Fumu stepped closer to the crowd with clenched fists and attempted to yell over the massive amounts of shrieks and shouts as Kawasaki so stupidly did, but her voice too went unheard. She tried and tried until her throat began to ache, only ceasing her attempts when a cast iron cooking pot almost made direct contact with her cranium.

Bun tackled her out of the line of fire just in time, with Kirby and the squires instantly rushing to her aid. The boy gritted his teeth in anger as he picked himself up off the ground and dared to approach the violent mass of Cappies. He took a deep breath, then cupped his hands around his mouth.

" ** _HEY, EVERYBODY! SHUT UP!_** "

That certainly got their attention. Thankfully, they hesitated to start pelting him with their improvised ammunition - something he was admittedly concerned about happening. However, their reactions toward being interrupted yet again were anything but kind.

"Back off, kiddo. We could turn into an angry mob!" That sounded like Benjamin's voice.

"But you already _are_ an angry mob!" He argued, gesturing to his audience. "Look at yourselves! Look at what you've become! Haven't we all gone through much worse than this? ...Well, okay, I admit this is pretty much as bad as it gets when accounting for property damage, but nobody got hurt! Are all of you so upset over losing some...stuff, that you're willing to change that?"

The Cappies began to look at one another again, slowly lowering their pots and pans, brooms, furniture, and other brands of household appliances. Shame filled their features as they dropped whatever happened to be in their hands, a chorus of _clangs_ , _clunks_ , and _thumps_ echoing through the now silent streets.

"Thank you, thank you very much for listening, but right now my sister has something very important to say." He gave a mock bow on exiting center stage, motioning for Fumu to step up and speak. "Take it away, sis."

She stood there, mouth agape for several seconds as her brain desperately tried to process what had just happened. Finally, her gaze softened, and she patted him on the shoulder with a warm, genuine smile. She would give him a real hug and the already long overdue apology that he deserved later.

"Everyone! I know you're upset and maybe even a little scared, and there's a lot of reasons for you to be, but please listen to what I'm about to tell you. An unfamiliar and apparently dangerous creature has been hiding in Whispy Woods' Forest. Kirby, Rick, Coo, and Kine have all seen it at one point or another, but it hasn't been a cause for concern until a few days ago."

Fumu then turned attention to Benjamin after she managed to locate him. "The culprit responsible for the state of our village stole everything from Mr. Benjamin's farm, even the sprouts. This happened _the night before last_...! Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you, everyone? This creature will probably come back again tonight!"

 **(** _Announce the Truth 2001 – Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney_ **)**

A chorus of gasps rang out as the townsfolk murmured worriedly amongst themselves. It was obvious that no one had considered the possibility of their common aggressor returning to the scene of the crime. They were starting to panic, which was the exact opposite of what Fumu had wanted.

"How can we possibly protect ourselves from this monstrosity?"

"It's already eaten or destroyed practically everything we own! What else is there for it to take?!"

"What if it wants to eat _us_ next..."

A series of screams resounded throughout the crowd. Fumu bit her lip out of frustration; she had wanted to provide the alarmed citizens some sort of awareness, but she was just making things worse!

"Everyone, please calm down!" She managed to quiet their concerns, at least for the time being. "This isn't a hopeless situation! After investigating and gathering information, I can tell you there are ways we can defend ourselves. It seems to react negatively to things that shine, so grab your flashlights, lamps, anything that emits a bright light. When approached, it may try screaming as a method of throwing you off guard. Finally, it can use its long tongue to attack, so try to create as much distance from yourself and it as possible."

Her inspiring speech was met with a round of applause, the residents of Cappy Village's hearts now filled with newfound hope. At seeing such a sight, it was almost impossible to believe they had all been quarreling a mere five minutes prior.

"The little lady is right!" Benjamin cried from his place in the audience, earning another round of cheers. "We're all friends and family, so we need to band together and do something about this now! We need to look out for each other!"

"You're absolutely right, Mr. Benjamin!" Fumu said with clasped hands and admiration in her eyes.

 **(** _Dangerous E – SpongeBob SquarePants_ **)**

"That freak of nature has torn apart our town! It's spread fear into our once peaceful village! Turned neighbor against neighbor! Because of that thing, our community almost became a festering nest of hate instead of a warm haven of love and acceptance!"

"Um, Benjamin...?" Fumu tried to bring the man back to reason, but to no avail - Benjamin, and by extension, the rest of the town, were too far gone.

"It ate my entire stock!"

"It shattered my crystal ball!"

"It vandalized my bar!"

"It poisoned our water supply, burned our crops and delivered a plague unto our houses!"

"It _DID_?" The townspeople queried in unison.

"NO! But are we just gonna wait around until it does?!" The farmer grabbed his pitchfork from off the ground and raised it high into the air. "I say we catch this thing and give it the what-for that it rightfully deserves! Who's with me?!"

The townsfolk whooped and cheered, now refueled with an entirely new sense of vigor. No longer did they hold the desire to pummel one another with random household objects. Instead, they would unite as one power and take out their frustrations on the one that brought their misery. The people retrieved their makeshift weaponry and marched down the streets as though preparing for war.

The three children and the squires opted to remain in front of the now deserted police station, one thought collectively on their minds:

"Well...that escalated quickly!" Sword exclaimed a bit too cheerfully after a long pause.

"What have I done...?" The girl whispered with dread, eyes widening in fear as she watched the retreating figures of the bloodthirsty mob.

"Geez, now of all times is when they finally decide to buck up and take action?" Bun made a point of mentioning. "Sis, I thought we just wanted to capture the thing and bring it to justice, not kill it."

"I didn't mean for this to happen!" She moaned, cradling her head in her hands. "I think I'm developing a migraine..."

"The important thing is that you both tried." Sword chimed in oh so helpfully, not sounding too empathetic as he clapped a hand over both the siblings' shoulders.

Despite the continuous pounding reverberating through her skull, Fumu could hear the faint yet distinct sound of clinking armor approaching. It was a sound unique to only one individual of Castle Dedede and Cappy Village as a whole, belonging to someone she had not seen in what felt like years; someone she had thought bitterly of only last night.

 **(** _Garry's Theme – Ib_ **)**

Meta Knight, ever calm and collected, seemed like the very embodiment of sanity to her currently frazzled psyche. She was so relieved to see the veteran Star Warrior the fact that she was still bitter with him had slipped her mind entirely.

"Sir Meta Knight, thank goodness you're here!" Fumu said with great haste. "The whole town's gone insane!"

The knight had figured that much when he witnessed the usually peace-loving Cappies parading around the village armed with torches and pitchforks, along with a colorful assortment of other items that had the potential to be used offensively. But no matter how determined they were to apprehend (and possibly even torture) their offender, the townsfolk were clearly not aware of the imminent danger they could be stepping into.

"This isn't the best place to talk." Meta Knight spoke after a thoughtful pause. "Please follow me, if you would."

Leaving no room for further discussion, he turned around without another word and began traveling the nearest pathway towards the village outskirts, his cape fluttering in the wind behind him. The pair of squires shrugged to themselves but were nevertheless quick to join him, though slightly lagging behind their superior as a show of respect - that, and they had no idea where he was going.

With no other options left to take, the children set aside their confusion and obediently followed Meta Knight - wherever it was he intended to lead them.

* * *

After nearly half an hour passed by in silence with the blue knight refusing to disclose any information whatsoever, no matter how many times he was asked, they finally reached their destination. Meta Knight had brought them to his living room, of all places. Why he couldn't have simply answered the question of where it was they were going instead of acting so vague and mysterious was beyond Fumu - the girl was beginning to remember why she had been annoyed with him in the first place...

While the room was quaint and admittedly cozy, the medieval and downright sinister-looking weapons mounted on the wall from Sword and Blade's bandit days certainly weren't. She was thankful the presently enraged villagers weren't aware of their existence otherwise they may have abandoned their pots and pans in favor of the long sword and battle axe.

Meta Knight took his place at the small table situated in the corner of the room, motioning for them to sit down. They complied, with Sword and Blade taking seat at his left. Fumu and Bun settled across from him, and Kirby sidled as closely to the knight's right side as possible without risking invading his personal space.

"Kni-kni!" The young puffball cried joyfully at seeing his mentor again.

"He can't pronounce your full name correctly." Fumu explained. "This is the best he can do now, but he's been trying every day to get it right."

If the elder Star Warrior was bothered by the affectionate nickname, he certainly didn't show it. He seemed to acknowledge Kirby's effort with a sideways glance before abruptly rising from his seat. Meta Knight pressed his body against the wall, seeming to be listening with utmost care. Apparently satisfied, he returned to his place at the table and proceeded with diving into the core of the matter as only he could.

 **(** _Shadowlord / Music Box ver. – 15 Nightmares & Arrange Tracks_ **)**

"Listen closely, what I am about to tell you does not leave this room. Do you understand?" His tone held a sense of foreboding that sent a cold shiver down Fumu's spine.

Everyone present slowly nodded; even Sword and Blade hadn't the faintest clue as to what their superior was about to reveal.

"Shortly after Nightmare's defeat, I received a call of great importance from Sir Arthur of the Galaxy Soldier Army. Though Holy Nightmare Corporation has been shut down indefinitely, there still exist undiscovered factories and laboratories that operated under the company. And unfortunately, it would seem some... _outsiders_ of questionable ethics have found a number of them and put these facilities to use."

"...And what does this have to do with us?" Bun asked, impatient as ever.

"Apparently I must elaborate further." Meta Knight replied as he retrieved a folder from what seemed like thin air to his observers. "These documents contain the latest information on the proxy services available for purchasing demon beasts."

"P-Proxy services...for demon beasts?!" Fumu repeated, nearly choking on her words. "B-But how?! Weren't all of the demon beasts destroyed with Nightmare? That's what you told us the surviving soldiers in the GSA were supposed to be doing!"

"Yes, I did tell you that, and that's exactly what my comrades have been trying to do." The knight responded with the faintest hint of ire. "Fumu, Nightmare tormented countless planets, even galaxies for an insufferably long period of time; expecting every evidence of his rule to vanish instantly would be asking for the impossible."

"I...I suppose that's true." The blonde stuttered, taken aback by his tone. "But I still don't understand why anyone would try to make a proxy service for demon beasts."

"What I don't get is, what's a proxy service?" Bun interjected, feeling as though the conversation was rapidly becoming lost on him.

"To answer both of your questions, a proxy service, in this particular case, is a group of fools obtaining the demon beasts that have evaded the Galaxy Soldier Army's detection to sell them on the black market. As for their motive, it's to take advantage of the inflated prices that have resulted from Holy Nightmare's termination."

"That...that's so _stupid!_ " Fumu exclaimed, her balled fists slamming into the table. "After everything Kirby and the Galaxy Soldier Army has done to defend everyone from them... _UGH!_ "

"There are actually people out there desperate enough for money; they'll try rounding them up even though they know all the risks?" Bun inquired, a look of disbelief on his face.

"You would be surprised to find what some will do for the sake of greed." Meta Knight replied, opening the file just wide enough to take a peek inside before stowing it somewhere deep within the confines of his cape.

"Sir Meta Knight." Fumu's voice came out uneven and shaky. "The reason why you're telling us this, could it be because...that thing that attacked the village is actually..."

"As of now, I can't be sure." He went on, knowing exactly what she was about to suggest. "However, there is a high chance this creature is linked with this issue, because the delivery system in His Majesty's throne room was activated shortly before the first sightings of this creature began."

"...That _despicable_ , **no good** , **_selfish_** , **_SAD EXCUSE FOR A_**..." The blonde rose from her sitting position and banged the tabletop repeatedly with her closed fists.

"Fumu, please calm yourself. Your feelings are entirely justified, I assure you, but please refrain from taking your anger out on my table."

Realizing what she was doing, Fumu sheepishly sunk back into her seat, shamefaced at being scolded by the veteran Star Warrior. The rest of the room's occupants had quietly crept away to the opposite side of the room sometime during her outburst, now deeming it safe enough to approach the short-tempered girl again.

"Yeesh, sis is scary when she's mad..." Her brother whispered fearfully, with Kirby and the squires swiftly nodding in agreement.

"Additionally, I believe it should be mentioned that this is not the only illegal activity the proxy servicers are guilty of - they are also creating some of their own design through Nightmare's abandoned facilities; bootlegged demon beasts, you could say. However, these imitations are highly unstable. This makes combat against them far more tiresome, I'm afraid."

"So they're made with a formula similar to what Escargon tried to use on Dynablade's chick?" Fumu inquired, the knight confirming her educated guess to be correct with a nod. "Could he and Escargon have made this creature?"

"Not without my knowing." He answered, his body bristling just slightly. "I destroyed everything related to their homebrewed demon beast formula and left Master Escargon with a stern warning on the consequences of attempting to remake it."

Everyone present had once wondered why the brainy snail hadn't tried a repeat of that plan, but it would seem they now had their answer - obviously the knight had a larger influence over some of the castle staff than they first assumed.

"As I'm sure you know by now, this creature is unpredictable and highly dangerous. Confrontation with it is inevitable at this point." Meta Knight continued, turning his gaze towards Kirby who let out a tiny squeak of alarm. "It goes without saying that if something isn't done, someone, namely the villagers rioting outside, could get hurt. No matter how well prepared they believe themselves to be, they will be greatly outmatched if this creature decides to retaliate."

"Oh man..." Bun groaned with dread. "Kirby, whether you like it or not, you're gonna have to fight this thing and defeat it before everyone gets themselves killed."

"P-Poyoooo..." A quiet noise of discomfort escaped the younger Star Warrior's throat, but as Meta Knight just explained, innocent lives (more or less) could be hanging in the balance if he didn't swallow his fears and face this new enemy head on.

He shook his head and adopted a more determined expression. "Ready!"

"And what are you planning to do about this?" Fumu questioned the knight, wondering if he intended on assisting them at all in this venture.

"As for myself, I will investigate whether or not His Majesty has any involvement with this incident. If this turns out to be true, it's safe to say he will lose any and all privileges regarding the transporter, and it will be dismantled immediately."

Meta Knight's answer sounded more like something a parent would say after finding their child rummaging through the cookie jar in the middle of the night. In all honesty, he was aware of the high probability of this happening, but the sole reason he had allowed King Dedede to keep the transporter operational was because his usage of the technology had been fairly innocent - ordering take-out food from off-planet restaurants due to the monarch tiring of the Waddle Dee chefs' repetitive menus and his absolute disgust with Kawasaki's cooking.

"Sword, Blade; I want you to stay by them, keep them safe from harm." He ordered before bringing the spontaneous meeting to a close. "Remember this, none of what I have shared with you leaves this room on the off chance His Majesty really doesn't know about the proxy services. The last thing we need to do is give him any ideas."

With that said, Meta Knight then excused himself and walked out the door. Still having several questions left unanswered, Fumu raced into the hallway to flag him down, but the other Star Warrior had already vanished, seemingly as though he became one with the shadows of the castle.

 _Shadows..._

The girl swiftly glanced around the area and noticed how elongated the shadows cast on the floors and walls were, this normally unimportant observation quickly bringing her to a horrendous realization.

"Everyone! Evening is coming!" She shouted. "If we don't hurry, it'll be too late to stop it this time!"

* * *

 **(** _Art of War – Angel Beats!_ **)**

Just as they feared, it was too late to travel through Whispy Woods' Forest and deal with the creature while it was asleep. The sun had sunken low over the horizon, and nocturnal wildlife such as Coo were beginning to awaken. The poor owl felt like he had let the village down in some way, therefore, he had elected himself as watchman - he and Tokkori would squawk as loudly as possible to warn the others once they caught sight of the blob.

Rick too had arrived on scene to offer his help in the ambush. The hamster had taken position high up a tree, a large fishing net in hand should the opportunity arrive to stop the culprit. Kine, wanting to offer his support in some way, was patrolling the land near the rivers, accompanied by Tokkori in case the ocean sunfish was at risk of being devoured - the ornery bird already had a bone to pick with the creature, so he was more than happy to involve himself in their plan.

Sword and Blade managed to rally the townsfolk and push their violent urges in a more helpful direction. Several Cappies were equipped with cameras that possessed a powerful, almost blinding flash. They would use this to stun the creature and create an opening for Kirby to attack. The people leftover were all too eager to begin delivering punishment once the blob was caught; it was both remarkable and disturbing at how the normally passive villagers had dedicated themselves to revenge.

Meanwhile, Fumu, Bun and Kirby were lying in wait, concealed by a thick group of bushes. They had not told anyone about the possible identity of the creature, just as was requested of them. However, the thought of going up against another demon beast, even though they couldn't confirm that's what it was, was completely nerve-wracking. The children never thought they would be doing this again until Meta Knight dropped that bombshell on them.

 **(** _Only One Magic Word – Little Busters!_ **)**

"Hey, Bun? I wanted to tell you this earlier, but..." Fumu began, keeping her voice low. "I'm so sorry I-"

"Sis, it's okay-"

"No, it's not okay!" She argued, trying to maintain her previous volume. "I...I treated you so terribly. You, my own little brother, and I was acting like everything that's happened so far was your fault. I knew you didn't mean to fall asleep on watch duty and I knew that even if you hadn't, there was nothing we could have done to stop that thing under last night's circumstances. And yet I-"

"Sis, I forgive you. Don't beat yourself up over it." He replied nonchalantly. "I mean, you were nice enough to not yell and scream at me, just staying quiet instead. You did that so you wouldn't say anything you would want to take back later while still making it clear you were mad at me, right? Not a lot of people would have been that considerate."

"Oh, Bun..." She almost sniffled. "How could I have ever been so awful to you when you're this understanding? I love you, little brother, and I'm sorry I don't tell you that enough."

"Aw, don't get all sappy on-"

His sentence was cut off by Fumu throwing her arms around his shoulders and pulling him into a hug. He sighed, but eventually returned the gesture. Kirby wedged himself between them, wanting to turn it into a group hug. They both wrapped an arm around the puffball and brought him closer, earning a content giggle from him - everything was as it should be again.

"It's here!" Tokkori's shrill voice suddenly cut into the stillness of the night, followed shortly by Coo's. "It's coming this way!"

 **(** _Outlaw! – Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

The target then emerged from the nearby forest, propelling itself into the air and over Tokkori's and Kine's heads with impressive speed - directly into the first trap set out for it. A series of rapid-fire camera flashes commenced, and the loud shrieks from the blob alerted Fumu, Bun, and Kirby that taking advantage of its extreme photosensitivity had been an effective strategy.

The round creature turned tail and fled in the opposite direction with the armed villagers in hot pursuit. Rick readied the fishing net in his paws, waiting for the right moment before flinging it directly over the blob. With incredible reflexes, the creature grabbed the net with its tongue and hurled it in the direction of its pursuers - the Cappies found themselves ensnared in their own trap.

" ** _PIGYAAAAA!_** "

"Are you kidding me?!" The hamster groaned. "Group 1 is down, I repeat, Group 1 is down!"

"That means it's up to us now!" Chief Borun bellowed, turning to his own group. "Ready your cameras! It's not getting away this time!"

Another round of photoflashes sent the creature stumbling headfirst into a tree, sending a row of them tumbling down, one after the other like a line of dominoes with the Cappies scrambling in different directions to avoid being crushed.

"Group 2 is down, I repeat, Group 2 is down!" Rick shouted, sounding more panicked.

" ** _PIGYAAAAA!_** "

"Sis, I can hear it! It's getting closer!" Bun whispered frantically. "This could turn into an even bigger disaster than before!"

"Don't say that! We'll find a way to slow it down somehow!" Fumu tried to stay positive, but the stress of the situation was even getting to her. "Just...just give me a second to think."

All they could hear was the blood-curdling squeal of the blob signaling its quick approach - they didn't have long to formulate a new plan.

Then, without any warning, an idea had come to the young puffball from the most unlikely of places. He pushed aside the leaves and twigs in front of him and waited for the third group of Cappies close by to make their move. The sound of swiftly-timed clicks from the cameras and another ghastly wail from the creature told him it was time to act. He jumped from the bushes and raced out into the road, Fumu, Bun, and the squires calling out to him in unison.

"Kirby, what are you-!"

" ** _Tag!_** "

The Star Warrior yelled at the top of his lungs as he sailed through the air, tackling the creature in its moment of weakness and sent both of them rolling a short distance away. It struggled underneath him with all its might, spinning around in circles in a feeble attempt to shake its captor off, its cries beginning to sound more strained. Kirby stubbornly clung to the bug-eyed blob's back until it lost the strength to stay upright, sinking to the ground with a soft, almost inaudible _thud_.

Kirby expected its skin to be cold and slimy upon contact, almost like a toad's. Instead, it was surprisingly soft and smooth, much like his own. When looking at it so closely, it was almost impossible to believe the tiny round creature had brought so much pandemonium to Cappy Village.

He felt it shudder once, twice, three times. It let out a pitiful cry, wriggling weakly in a futile effort to free itself. Kirby's eyes widened when he heard a sniffle, then a quiet sob. Finding no other source for the noise present, he looked downwards and was stunned to see fat tears rolling down the blob's cheeks.

"P-Pigyaaaa..."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Once again, I've written a probably needlessly long chapter, but there just wasn't a good stopping point anywhere else, and I did say in the last author's note that this mystery would be wrapped up by the end of this one - Kirby and co. have caught the culprit, so I consider it a mystery solved...not that there was much of one to begin with. All of you guessed who it was by the end of the first chapter!

Anyway, I wanted to use the cliffhanger from last chapter and what led to it as a method of exploring Fumu and Bun as characters. I think that for all of his ego, Bun really is a sweet boy that cares so much more about everyone than he lets on. Meanwhile, Fumu is very loving towards Kirby and is nurturing and brilliant in many ways, but her biggest character flaws, I believe, are her large temper, being overly suspicious/distrustful at times, and pushing her opinions onto others. Fumu is incredibly intelligent for her age, but she's still a child. I thought I would use this section of the plot to showcase her more immature side along with Bun being the levelheaded one of the duo for once. Though I suppose it's up to you, the readers, to decide if I've done a satisfactory enough job at this.

It seems like the overall theme of these past two chapters besides mystery/suspense has been the consequences of taking your anger out on people that don't deserve it. These past two chapters have kind of painted Benjamin in a bad light, even though I've enjoyed writing for this character so far. Like Lilah said last chapter, he's mostly all bark and no bite. He just can't stay angry for long when his wife is nearby, and no, it's not because she always has him beaten into submission with her elbow. It's just more prevalent in this chapter - because nearly _everyone_ has taken a level in violence this chapter.

Also, sudden language lesson! In the original Japanese version of the anime, Meta Knight (and by extension, Sword and Blade, who also address Bun and Kirby this way and Fumu with -sama) refers to Escargon with the honorific '-dono', and this honorific is very rarely used in modern times outside of the military, which may hint towards Meta Knight being old-fashioned or references his background as a Star Warrior of the Galaxy Soldier Army.

The English equivalent to this honorific would be 'lord' or 'master', 'lady' or 'mistress' if the person being addressed is female, and 'Monseigneur' or 'Madame' if you're French. However, unlike the '-sama' honorific, the speaker is not humbling themselves, which says a lot about Meta Knight - only referring to Escargon as 'master' out of necessity and not necessarily politeness. I also think it's interesting that he refers to himself with the pronoun 'boku' instead of the much more masculine 'ore'.

Additionally, Sword and Blade no longer address Fumu, Bun, and Kirby with honorifics in After Story, since they've grown close enough by this point to drop them, although they may occasionally slip back into them out of habit.

As a final note, this chapter was incredibly fun to write, but it was also incredibly stressful during the editing portion. I may have spent more time editing than writing, or at least it felt like it at the time. But anyone who has read this far can probably guess what my favorite scene in this chapter is.


	5. The Dark Puppeteer

Chapter 5 - The Dark Puppeteer

The creature trapped underneath his meager weight sniffled and trembled with confusion and fear. The being that had terrorized the entire town knew it was at the mercy of its captor. It wasn't even struggling anymore; it had fully resigned itself to whatever fate the young Star Warrior had in store for it.

After a short while of listening to its choked sobs, Kirby just couldn't take anymore. In what may have seemed an unwise decision, he released the blob from his hold and took a step back to give it room to breathe. Instead of running away as he expected it to, it remained on the grassy ground, tears still flowing like rivers from its large black eyes. It was absolutely heartbreaking for reasons even Kirby couldn't quite comprehend.

 **(** _Born Into This World (Little Miniature Garden) – Ontology_ **)**

The puffball took a careful step closer to the distraught creature, knowing that he needed to help it calm down somehow. Giving it a hug was not the best method, he thought, seeing as he nearly throttled the poor thing just moments ago. So Kirby settled on slowly and gently stroking the top of its head, something Fumu and Bun did often when he was upset or as a gesture of affection.

It flinched, but didn't draw away from him. After almost a minute of repeating the action, the creature's sobs gradually began to quieten, its shivering form growing still. Its large, round eyes met his; it must have been even more bewildered than before. However, its uncertainty didn't last long. The blob then squished itself against Kirby's side, somehow latching onto him without any limbs to speak of.

A sound of glee came from it at being shown what was perhaps the first act of kindness in its life. Its laughter wasn't malicious or animalistic - it was much like his own; childlike, carefree, and even a bit boyish. A goofy grin broke out on its face, and Kirby wondered how he had ever been terrified of this innocent being.

That's what this creature was as a whole: _innocent_.

Except the townsfolk certainly wouldn't share the same opinion, and at seeing the state of wreckage the village was in, that could be understood. But somehow, Kirby knew from somewhere deep within himself that this creature was harmless, or at least meant no harm towards anyone - there was a possibility this blob was just extremely clumsy when startled. ...Right?

A rustling from the bushes nearby told Kirby that they were about to have company. The blob's pupils widened until almost its entire eyes were black, pressing itself even closer to him as it gave a small squeal of fright.

"Kirby!" Fumu and Bun worriedly shouted his name, followed by Sword and Blade.

At seeing the pink puffball and the creature they were just trying to capture in such close proximity, the squires drew their weapons as the siblings cautiously eyed the blue being.

"Kirby, what are you doing?" Bun questioned. "That thing is dangerous! If you aren't going to fight it, then get away from it!"

"It could be a demon beast, don't you remember?" Fumu tried to rationalize with him when he showed no signs of offense towards the creature attached to his side.

Sword and Blade stepped forward, pointing their weapons at the blob. Its eyes began to water as another round of loud sobs escaped its throat. Kirby shot the four a look of exasperation before returning to consoling the upset creature, this time quietly whispering words of comfort to it despite his limited vocabulary.

Taken aback, they could only stand and gape at the scene; Kirby was petting and coddling the very same creature that had destroyed over half the town, and the creature in question was clinging to him and wailing as though its heart were broken.

The squires looked at each other for a moment in silence then slowly put away their blades. The present situation was making them feel awkward - now, to someone who could have been unaware, they were the ones that appeared to be in the wrong.

Fumu and Bun slowly approached the pair, still keeping a wary eye on the unusual creature as its cries began to quiet down once more. A blissful grin reappeared on its lips along with a short series of giggles as the blob and the puffball casually babbled with one another.

"Sis, it sounds...not like I thought it would."

"Yeah, its laugh is almost like a person's..." She responded, trying to make sense of it all.

The blonde crouched down until she was a little over level height with the blob, deciding to cautiously reach out and touch the creature. It flinched again, eyes darting towards her direction and letting out a tiny whimper, but never giving the slightest indication of turning to hostility.

"It's okay..." She said in a hushed tone. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She wasn't even sure if it could understand speech, but it seemed to understand Kirby on some level, so there didn't seem to be any merits lost in attempting to communicate. Eventually, it allowed her to make contact with its skin, then became comfortable enough with Fumu to rub its cheek against her hand.

 _Sluuuurp..._

 **(** _Cats on Mars – Cowboy Bebop_ **)**

Fumu barely stifled the scream that threatened to come out as she quickly withdrew her hand, now covered in a thick layer of drool. The blob smiled obliviously at the girl, tilting its round body to the side.

"Eh...oka...nah guuna...hur yuu..."

Despite how garbled it was, the words that fell from its mouth were clearly discernible. All present were struck speechless. The creature had spoken to her, but it seemed to be more than just parroting phrases; the little blob had known the context in which to use the sentence it had learned.

They all came to one conclusion: This creature was a sentient, intelligent life form.

"Demon beast or not, it's practically a person." Bun murmured unsurely. "...What are we gonna do about the townspeople?"

"Firstly, we need to talk them down before they do anything too rash." Blade answered. "Then we need to keep a close watch on this creature. If it is in fact a threat, then we'll do what has to be done. If it ultimately turns out to be harmless, then I'm not sure what to do from there."

"...Can we keep it?" Sword asked, earning an unamused glance from his brother.

"First things first, we try and convince everyone into being sensible again." Fumu rephrased out of nervousness, knowing this wouldn't be an easy task as the distant light of their torches came into view. "I'll go first. Bun, why don't you try and keep our new friend here calm so this will be an easier job?"

"Uh...I'd really rather not." Bun muttered, rubbing his arm nervously. "It looks kind of creepy."

"I know it's not the cuddliest creature in the world appearance-wise, and I still don't trust it completely, no matter how friendly it's acting..." She replied, keeping her voice low so her words wouldn't upset Kirby. "But what if it's not dangerous, and the townspeople manage to capture it? Do you want to be held responsible for what could happen to him?"

"When you put it that way, no..." He mumbled with his head low. "...Wait a minute, _him?_ "

"His voice sounds like a little boy's, although I could be wrong, and I'm starting to think that calling him 'it' is mean." Fumu answered. "If he's good, then I thought that later we could decide on a name for him together, unless he already has one somehow."

"Wow, sis. I thought you said you weren't going to trust it yet. Now you're coming up with names for it?"

"I know I shouldn't get my hopes up, but something about him reminds me of Phan Phan." She explained. "He just seems lost and scared as if he doesn't really know why he's here, just like Coo said. And...he really seems to make Kirby happy. ...I don't want his feelings to get hurt again."

"Yeah...he's gonna be crushed if that thing is a bad demon beast." Bun sighed, glancing at the boy and the blob, both still having the time of their lives just by being close to each other. "...I still think it's creepy, though."

"Then would you prefer to talk down the crowd while I watch Kirby and his friend?"

"... ** _No_**."

"I thought so. So you and Sword can stay here and watch over them, and Blade will come with me and help sort out everything with the rioters. Does this sound fair?"

Everyone minus the blob nodded, only for him to mimic the motion a few seconds later. Fumu and Blade tracked down the angry mob, which wasn't too difficult to do seeing as the blazing flames from their torches illuminated the darkness of the night, easily leading them to the large group of mostly Cappies. Apparently after Kirby and the creature disappeared into the brush the townspeople became concerned and joined together to find them.

"Fumu, did you see where that thing went? Or has Kirby already finished the job?" One citizen asked all too eagerly.

"Well, see, about that-"

"Out with it! Has that terrible creature been taken care of?"

"As I was just trying to say-"

"Did that monster hurt you?!"

"No! Nobody is hurt!" She yelled over them, finally getting a word in edgewise. "Listen everyone, I know you're probably going to find this hard to believe, but this creature may not be as violent as all of us thought it was. I think he's just scared and confused-"

 **(** _Spring Into A Fight – Don't Starve: Reign of Giants_ **)**

"Have you lost your mind?!" Another Cappy shouted. "How can you say that with a straight face after seeing what it's done to our village?!"

"You have every right to be upset, considering the sequence of events that have taken place in the past twenty four hours or so, we can certainly understand that." Blade calmly interjected. "However, we need to be reasonable about this-"

"Reasonable? You want us to be _reasonable?!_ " A third person argued incredulously. "Oh sure, you can say that because while we were fighting for our lives, you both were safe at home in your guarded fortress of a castle!"

Fumu and Blade looked at each other and sighed. Yes, their words did sting a bit, but mostly they were growing impatient with the townsfolk's complete lack of patience. Coming to a peaceful resolution was looking more and more hopeless, it seemed.

While the two continued their attempts to bring some semblance of sanity back to the population of the village, a few Cappies had snuck away from the rest of the mob and discovered their target's hiding spot. At seeing the armed and admittedly menacing villagers in the torchlight, the creature shrieked, leaping onto Bun's head and clinging to his face, resulting in the boy letting out a muffled scream of his own.

"Stars above, it's trying to tear his face off!" A Cappy yelled, taking the frying pan he had in hand and repeatedly struck Bun with it in what he thought was a heroic move to save the boy's life, not realizing until it was too late that the blob had released its hold on him and escaped. The villager responsible for the attack then chased after the now squealing creature, leaving his unintended victim in the dust.

"... _Ow_." Bun muttered weakly from his new position on the ground.

"Oooo..." Sword winced as he helped him to his feet. "That is definitely going to hurt in the morning."

"In the morning? It hurts _now!_ "

The band of villagers chased down the blob relentlessly, no matter what evasive maneuvers their target employed. He sped past the larger group Fumu and Blade were still talking with, all their hard work towards a breakthrough ultimately going ignored once the mob spotted the fleeing creature. Bun, Sword, and Kirby caught up with them not a moment later, ragged and out of breath.

"Bun, I thought I told you-" Fumu gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth in shock. "Oh my gosh, what happened to your face?!"

"Villagers happened, sis. _Villagers_." He responded dryly.

"A few Cappies separated from the mob and found us, and then stuff happened, and well..." Sword trailed off, gesturing to Bun's face. "This is what they did to him, trying to smack the 'monster' off his head when he was just holding onto him because he was startled. With a frying pan. That poor thing is gonna die at this rate."

"Don't say that!" Fumu reprimanded him, breaking out into a run. "Come on, we need to do something before it's too late!"

"But what? We tried persuasive reasoning, what else can we do?" Blade asked; though he was a squire in training under Meta Knight, he found it difficult to keep up with the girl's adrenaline-fueled pace. "Sword, don't you even think about it! More violence is not the answer under these delicate circumstances!"

"But I didn't even say anything!"

"You didn't have to. I _know_ you." The other squire hissed. "And put that firecracker away! Where did you even find that... a villager. Of course. How ridiculous of me to expect otherwise..."

"Wow, they must really be serious about this if they made fireworks for the occasion." Bun chimed in, glancing at the colorful explosive in his hand.

"What was your first clue, kid?" Sword asked sarcastically. "When they were all trying to murder each other a few hours ago, or when that one Cappy almost beat your brains out?"

"Sword, don't be vulgar." Blade scolded his brother yet again.

By the time they caught up to the rioters, they had the poor blob cornered, his back pressed against the stony cold wall of a nearby cliffside. There was nowhere else for him to run now; he was trapped and at the cruel mercy of the angered townsfolk.

A few Cappies stepped closer with their weapons, his eyes widening in fear as a soft wailing sound came from his throat. He shook violently in place, but made no indication that he was going to defend itself. The scene looked less like the village's population protecting themselves from further harm and more like a meaningless act of revenge. Even with suspicions still present, it was difficult for the children and the squires to just stand there and watch.

"This...this is just too awful." Fumu whispered, taking in the sight with growing dread.

"Look at the thing; it's not even going to do anything." Bun pointed out. "It's just there, shivering and scared half to death."

"No, poyo!" Kirby cried out when the armed villagers stepped ever closer towards his new friend.

"We need to think of a method of getting everyone's undivided attention, something that would undoubtedly make them stop in their tracks." Blade mused aloud, his gaze repeatedly switching from the distressed blob to the crowd. "But what could possibly distract them at this point?"

"Hmmm..." Sword tapped Kirby on the shoulder and whispered. "Hey, do you think you could inhale that torch that guy is holding? Just enough so I can grab it."

The puffball was confused, but complied with his odd request. Once the torch was in his possession, the squire lit the firecracker he acquired earlier, then threw it in the rapidly closing space between the mob and the blob. Sword grabbed Kirby from underneath the arms and backed away with apparent anticipation and glee.

It was a gloriously chaotic chain of reactions. A few seconds prior to the firecracker exploding, the townsfolk and the creature gazed at it with bafflement. A chorus of surprised screams rung out, several Cappies nearly trampling over each other to escape the blinding flashes of color once they realized what the object was. The suddenness of the flares proved to be too much for the timid blob, who instantly fainted on the spot.

" ** _SWORD!_** " Blade yelled accusingly, despite not actually witnessing his brother perform the act.

Though his face was also concealed by his armor, Blade was willing to bet behind that mask was a smarmy-faced grin. He didn't have to see him commit the deed to know; this was exactly something he would do. Unfortunately for Blade, this was the exact diversion they needed.

Shortly after the pandemonium had passed and the townsfolk regained what was left of their senses, they were now more than willing to listen. Kirby pushed his way through the crowd, taking a defensive stance next to the unconscious blob. His friends followed his lead, checking the creature for any signs of injury.

"Oh, thank goodness." Sword breathed a sigh of relief. "For a moment, I thought I accidentally killed him! What an ironic twist that would have been."

"Now that that matter of business has been taken care of..." Blade turned to address the townsfolk. "Has anyone been harmed in any sort of way - perhaps blinded?"

Everyone shook their head from side to side along with a few verbal responses, much to the elder squire's peace of mind. Nobody had been hurt, terrorized in every sense of the word, yes, but no physical traumas were present.

"Listen everyone..." Fumu took a deep breath, mostly to calm herself from the excitement. "I know you have a lot of reasons to be upset with this creature; frankly, I can't say I completely trust him myself but...just look. Right now, he's helpless, and what's more, after everything we've put him through tonight, I doubt he has much left in him to fight back even if he wanted to. Definitely not now, as you can see."

The horde of townsfolk gazed at the comatose creature, flopped on his back and tongue slightly poking out of the corner of his mouth, a short trail of drool trickling down his cheek. Looking at him this way, the crowd could hardly believe this was the very same being they were about to maul mere moments ago.

"This creature is also not an animal; he's an intelligent, thinking being that can speak our language, although it's a little difficult to follow. It isn't just randomly copying what he's heard either - out of all the words Kirby spoke to him, he knew exactly what to say and at the right time. After sharing this with you, can you really go through with...whatever it was you were about to do with the knowledge that he's a person?"

Her words seemed to bring them to a complete standstill. She could practically see the light of reason returning to their eyes as they lowered their weapons, some sending a pitying glance towards the fainted blob. A wave of calm passed over, the tension leaving the air entirely.

Well...almost entirely.

 **(** _Dangerous E – SpongeBob SquarePants_ **)**

"But what about my crops?!" Benjamin roared. "What about our homes?! The grocery store?! The clinic?! Other possessions of value?! We don't even have a police station to lock it up in anymore! _What about the village?!_ "

"He...he can help with repairs!" Fumu shouted out the first thing that came to mind in her nervousness, becoming conscious of the farmer's ability to bring a third riot into full swing. "If he can cause so much damage, then maybe the reverse can also be the case! Think about it; it would be a great way for him to pay his debt to society and learn about the results of his actions. Meanwhile, we can find out where he came from and what led to him destroying most of the village in the first place."

Several murmurs were exchanged among the members of the crowd. Some appeared to agree with the idea, others were more hesitant, and a few were just as unsure as Fumu felt when voicing her suggestion. However, one thought remained constant with all the villagers: some form of repayment was necessary. With no more desirable options in sight, it seemed they would have to rely on the nervous wreck of a blob to pull them through.

"You're really going to trust that thing to rebuild Cappy Village?!" Benjamin questioned with outrage, raising his pitchfork. "Everyone, have you forgotten the almost unbearable horrors we went through last night?! That monster can't be trusted! It's turned neighbor against- _OOF!_ "

"Oh, put a sock in it, Benji." Lilah chastised him as she removed her elbow from his ribs. "Hasn't this gone on long enough? Look at this mess! Almost everyone here is armed to the teeth and frothing at the mouth like a wild animal. That's what we've become Benji - _wild animals_. We've turned into something even more dangerous than whatever that round thing is passed out over there!"

"But Lilah..."

"No buts! There was no sense in letting it get this bad and go on for this long! It's time to end it!" She argued, her words finally reaching the most protestant of the rioters. "I hardly have room to talk; I let myself get swept up in this too. But now it's time to notice our mistakes before we do something we'll regret even more later."

The farmer gazed at his surroundings, eyes widening just slightly as realization seemed to hit him. His friends, his neighbors, and himself had indeed turned into a pack of feral beasts only concerned with one single thought alone - revenge.

"I... _stars above_..." He slowly lowered his pitchfork and spoke as if coming out of a daze. "This...this really got out of hand fast. I...I'm sorry everyone! I don't know what came over me. It was like some dark haze took over or something. But that isn't any excuse for how we've all acted - for how _I've_ acted... Good gracious, this could've ended bad!"

"Fumu, I would like to say one thing, though." Lilah said, her expression softening but still serious. "I still don't trust that creature, and I'm sure most of us here, including you, share the same opinion. However, we do trust you, Fumu, so I believe with all my heart that your decision is one all of us can put our faith in."

"T-Thank you, Miss Lilah..." The girl stuttered, hoping her nervousness wasn't as obvious as she thought it was - after witnessing what the townsfolk were now capable of, she _did not_ want to be on the receiving end of their wrath.

With that matter settled, the mob gradually dispersed. The children and the squires turned their attention to the still unconscious blob, unsure of what to do with him in this state. After a while of mulling it over, the small group came to the decision the only option left was to take him with them to the castle - something they sincerely hoped they wouldn't regret later.

Sword scooped the creature into his arms, keeping a comfortable but secure grip around his body before heading in the direction of Castle Dedede, the party of five left wondering if this was the right thing to do after all.

* * *

 **(** _Aria (Goldberg Variations) – The Girl Who Leapt Through Time_ **)**

"This...this _little_ thing caused all this fuss?" Memu quietly gasped as she looked over the blue and round being in Sword's grasp. "...Is it, d-de-"

A loud snore erupted from his mouth as he shifted in his sleep, the small puddle of drool pooling from his gaping maw dripping on the squire's arm and down to his hand. Even though he was wearing gloves, the skin lying underneath was beginning to feel uncomfortably damp and sticky...

"No, Lady Memu, he's not dead, but I'm sure you know that now." Sword answered. "Although, I guess you could say in this situation that the little guy is dead to the world...?"

"My, my...I suppose that old saying about big surprises coming in small packages is true." Parm said as he worriedly glanced at the blob. "From this angle, it looks entirely harmless, but from what I've seen from our balcony window, the truth is the exact opposite. Are you sure about keeping watch over this strange creature?"

"We have little other alternatives at this point, I'm afraid." Blade responded with a sigh. "Sir Meta Knight hasn't returned from his...errands, and I was hoping he would be able to identify this creature. For now, we have no choice left but to wait until he graces us with his presence again before taking any further action."

Blade kept his tone polite and formal as always when speaking to the Cabinet Minister family, but somewhere beneath, Fumu could hear the slight strain in his voice as he spoke of their lord - it almost sounded sarcastic, despite that usually being in his brother's department. Apparently, the knight's unpredictable movements were causing even the elder squire's patience with him to thin.

"Blade and I have agreed on taking the little guy to our room and keeping an eye on him until then." Sword continued, hoisting the unknown life form a bit closer to himself, appearing almost as if he were protecting him. "You kids get some sleep tonight; I know you've got to be tired after a long day like today. Once we hear anything from Sir Meta Knight, we'll come find you."

"Alright, we will, Sword, Blade." Fumu agreed, though still concerned.

"Thank you both for guarding our children." Memu called to them before they made their way down the hallways.

"It was no trouble at all, Lady Memu, Master Parm." Blade replied, turning the corner and disappearing into the gloomy darkness of the castle's nightfall shadows.

"Kirby, maybe it would be better for you to stay here tonight. Just in case." Fumu suggested, not willing to admit that she would feel safer with the young Star Warrior's company. "Unless if you wanted to go home. I won't stop you if that's what you want to do."

Kirby shook his head, sensing her anxiety through her efforts to hide it. If his presence would help his friend feel even a bit of ease, then he was definitely staying put for the night. And who was he to turn down an invitation to spend more time with his best friends in the world, as odd as the circumstances were that led to the occasion.

The family ate a late dinner at the table before turning in for the night, their sleep unrestful despite how tired they were. Perhaps it had been an omen, a small warning for the incident that would occur the following day.

After a big breakfast to start the morning off, Fumu, Bun, and Kirby, not hearing a word from the squires, had decided to spend the day playing together as they did before this entire mess began. However, after the episode from the previous night, they were understandably hesitant to step into Cappy Village, in spite of the fact that the children wanted to offer their help in rebuilding the town.

On turning one of the castle's many corridors while making their way to the courtyards, Kirby ran ahead of his two friends, and in his excitement, he collided with something so large it made him stumble to the ground and fall onto his back. This something turned out to be _someone_ ; someone who had been receiving a dramatic increase in attention lately due to recent events.

 **(** _Artamos the Lame – Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea_ **)**

The three turned their gazes forward to find the person Kirby bumped into was none other than the missing King of Dream Land, accompanied by his secretary/advisor Escargon and Captain Waddle Doo. However, there was something strangely off with the monarch, not to mention his entourage - all of them were sporting expressions of utter disdain and dark circles from exhaustion present under their eyes (or _eye_ , in the captain's case).

"Uuuuugh..." King Dedede moaned, his eyes flickering down to the puffball at his feet with annoyance.

" **King Dedede?!** " The children exclaimed in a gasp, earning a cringe from him.

"What...?" He asked irritably, massaging his temples. "Do you have to be so dang loud this early in the morning? My head is pounding something awful..."

"What the heck is wrong with you guys?" Bun questioned with a raised eyebrow as his sister helped Kirby back onto his feet. "You all look like a pack of Mumbies."

"Can't you tell?" Escargon snapped. "We're exhausted! The past few days have been a fiasco for us!"

"And almost getting flogged so suddenly by the village didn't make it any better." Captain Waddle Doo added, leaning against the stone wall closest to him before eventually sinking to the floor. "We have a punctured tire from accidentally running over some of the glass on the streets, and Gus is refusing His Majesty service for some reason. We had to push the car all the way uphill..."

The cyclops finished his last sentence with his volume gradually lowering, his heavy eyelid then sealing shut. Immediately after, the sound of soft, breathy snores filled the hallway. King Dedede glanced at the captain with obvious displeasure, but just couldn't find it in him to wake the Waddle Doo.

"Stars, I'm too tired to even yell at him." He grumbled, turning his attention back to the children. "...And what are you three still doing here? Scram."

"I...I can't believe you're going to act innocent about this...!" Fumu gaped, flabbergasted and furious as she pointed an accusing finger at him. "You want to know why the entire village is upset with you? That's because one way or another, you're responsible for this entire mess!"

"Girly, you get that finger outta my face. I ain't in the mood to be goofing around with the likes of you right now." King Dedede spat, lightly swatting her hand away. "I leave this place for a few days then I come back to find the town is trashed and the people have gone plumb _crazy!_ How is any of this my fault?!"

"How could this **_not_** be your fault?" Fumu argued, stepping closer and closer to him. "This entire situation has you written all over it!"

"Yeah, where else could you have been unless it was to escape from the heat." Bun said, backing his sister up.

"For your information, we were at a business conference on the Rainbow Islands." Escargon interjected with a sour tone, whipping out several documents from his briefcase. "It was a discussion of purchasing real estate on Iceberg, and as I said moments earlier, the entire meeting was a fiasco!"

"...T-The Rainbow Islands?" The siblings could only stutter in unison, not expecting that response at all.

"Well, since I _am_ the prestigious and venerable king and overall dictator of Dream Land..." King Dedede droned onward. "And technically the Rainbow Islands are part of Dream Land's territory, therefore, they're also under my rule. So I thought establishing relations would be a good idea since I have so much free time on my hands at the moment. Can I not leave the castle now without my servants' permission or something?"

"Uh..." Fumu and Bun stumbled over their responses, still at a loss for words.

"Seriously, I said this was coming up last week!" The king continued his ramblings, weakly throwing his arms up in the air. "It's like the only time anyone ever cares to talk to me is when they think I've done something I wasn't supposed to! Did any of you even notice me and my car were gone before the fuzz hit?"

"Well, it's not that we didn't notice, it's just that we didn't care." Bun finally answered, as blunt as ever.

King Dedede stared blankly at the boy, eyes widening until they looked as if they would pop out of his skull as his jaw went slack. Had he not been so drained of energy, he would have given Bun an earful, maybe even chased him down with his hammer as well - no, he would have undoubtedly done so already if not for his current condition.

"Why I oughtta..." He growled through gritted teeth, towering over Bun with a tightly clenched fist before suddenly deflating altogether. "Ugh, forget it. Don't even have it in me to get mad right now. Consider yourself lucky, kid."

Had Escargon not been in a similar state, he probably would have taken advantage of this opportunity to freely speak his mind against the king without any repercussions. To the snail, this was just another low blow to finish up the dreadful trip. He wished he could have convinced His Majesty to let him stay behind - King Dedede didn't really need that property in Iceberg, but without Escargon's efforts, they certainly wouldn't have legally walked away with the deed to the estate in hand.

"I'm gonna take a nice long bubble bath to wash the stress away." King Dedede mumbled to himself as he pushed Fumu, Bun, and Kirby aside. "Escargon, scrub my back, will ya?"

"Me? Your Majesty, why should I scrub your back? You can do that yourself! Use a brush or something."

"But I'm tired."

"Are you forgetting that I was forced to accompany you? I'm just as tired as you are!"

"But Escargon, you're my best friend. Best friends stick together through thick and thin, they help each other through the good times and the bad...and with stuff like washing the other's back."

"Oh please, now is when you decide to act sappy? And we both know that you have no intention of returning the favor, not that I'd want you to - I'm perfectly capable of washing my own back, thank you very much."

"Ok then, do it because I'm the king and because I said so."

" _Sigh_ , that's a fair enough reason as any, I suppose."

Their back and forth banter continued even after King Dedede entered his personal bathroom a short ways down the hall, Escargon obediently going along with him, albeit begrudgingly. The remainder of their conversation was quickly drowned out by the sound of running water.

The children slumped against the wall opposite of the snoozing Commander Waddle Doo, the three still somewhat overcome by shock and disbelief - King Dedede had no involvement in this entire ordeal. The papers in Escargon's possession were physical proof that they could hold no argument against. Not to mention the fact that the king of Dream Land genuinely seemed to be taken aback, if not outright disturbed, by the current disheveled state of Cappy Village and its citizens.

"Bun, I think we've made a mistake." Fumu spoke at last. "King Dedede really has no idea what's going on."

"So, what do you want us to do about it? Apologize to him? Because that's what it sounds like you're about to suggest; I can hear it in your voice. It's the same tone you use when you're starting to feel bad for someone."

"Look, I know King Dedede has done some bad things in the past, well, _a lot_ of bad things in the past, and he's still petty and rude, not to mention selfish and greedy, but we were clearly in the wrong here. We falsely accused him of something terrible, and said some hurtful things to him when he was already at an emotionally low point. Although, I don't really approve of him buying land in the Rainbow Islands..."

"You've finally lost it." Bun gaped. "I can't believe you're defending _Dedede_ of all people."

"I can't believe _you_ , Bun."

As the siblings quietly quarreled for the next minute or so, Kirby suddenly tapped on the boy's arm to catch his attention. Bun grinned, expecting the pink puffball to take his side in the argument or offer moral support of some kind. Instead...

"...Mean, poyo."

"Not you too, Kirby!" He frowned, feeling at a loss. "...Fine. We can go apologize to him later if you want, but don't act all surprised if he's still a huge jerk about it."

There was a noticeable lull in their discussion afterwards. Both had a question in mind that neither knew the answer to, or whether it would be worth mentioning aloud. After all, their prime suspect (and only suspect) was off the hook for now.

"Sis, if Dedede didn't order that thing from a demon beast proxy service...then where did it come from?"

Bun was the first to voice his concerns, but not a second later did he regret this decision. The sound of rushing water from the nearby bathroom abruptly came to a halt and the door opened just enough for the king to poke his head out into the hallway.

"What was that I heard just now...? Something about a...demon beast proxy service?"

Bun paled.

 **(** _Mystery Salesman – Mad Father_ **)**

"I thought you said all the rest of em' were destroyed by those guys from the Galaxy Soldier Army, Fumu? Unless...that last little bit of information just now was something you were supposed to keep from me? Now I get why you all thought I was the one behind that mess in the village."

The king's curious expression then turned downright sinister.

"That's not too bad of an idea; I was getting bored with all of this peace anyway. It shouldn't be too hard to track down one of those services, eh Escargon?"

"Wait, what?" They heard the snail question. "Your Majesty, you aren't serious about this, are you?"

"Darn right, I'm serious! Soon as I get finished with my bath, I'm bringing this new operation into action!" King Dedede laughed obnoxiously, his grin growing ever wider. "Now get to scrubbing, Escargon!"

The royal assistant sent the children a withering glare as though the king eavesdropping was their fault before the door closed, the water pipes roaring to life once again. Bun slid down the wall he was leaning against until he was sitting on the ground, then tumbled over on his side like a tossed ragdoll.

"Sir Meta Knight is going to kill me..." He wheezed.

"No he won't. I'm sure he'll understand that this was an honest mistake." Fumu replied with a hint of worry, awkwardly patting his back which was currently turned to her.

"How did he even hear that?!" The boy exclaimed, not caring if the king was still listening in on their exchange.

Fumu didn't answer but helped her younger brother to his feet after a short amount of struggling as Kirby assisted in keeping him upright. Eventually, they managed to walk him to the courtyard in a manner as though he were suffering from two broken feet rather than a severe dread of facing the knight he had unintentionally betrayed.

* * *

Bun sat nearly motionless on the edge of the water fountain, the words of support from Fumu and Kirby not reaching him at all. He had screwed up again, and worst of all, he had failed Meta Knight, of all people. He could only imagine the usually stoic veteran Star Warrior's reaction.

Would he refuse to speak to him again? Would he become filled with rage, his yellow eyes transitioning to a deep, glowing and vibrant red? Would he ask for his pocket knife to be returned? All these questions and more swam around inside his head restlessly.

The boy tensed at hearing the familiar sound of clinking armor, but felt a small amount of relief at realizing the blue knight wasn't in their presence; his two squires had come to greet them, the blob-like creature in tow. His eyes were wide with wonder as he took in his surroundings, then paused when he spotted Kirby. A large, curvy grin covered most of his face, then the blob suddenly launched himself through the air and rapidly closed the distance between himself and the puffball.

" ** _KIR-BEEEEE!_** "

The weight of their impact sent both of them tumbling into the water. The two emerged seconds later, both erupting into a fit of laughter as they began splashing each other.

"Look at them; anyone would think they had been best friends their entire lives." Sword remarked with a hidden smile.

"They do look like they're having fun." Fumu said, feeling more at ease. "And how has he been since last night?"

"He returned to consciousness very early this morning." Blade answered. "His first reaction was, as to be expected, experiencing immense anxiety from awakening in an unfamiliar environment. It took the better part of our morning to calm him again. We never would have coerced him to follow us outside if not for this dreary weather - he is still responding negatively to brightly lit areas."

"But here's the strange part." Sword continued. "The little guy's remembered every single word he's heard! He's even trying to string together a few sentences, but we can't get him to tell us anything about who he is or where he came from. He just wants to talk about Kirby."

"Understandable, seeing as Kirby was the first to show him kindness." Blade mused, taking another glance at the pair playing in the fountain.

"Hey, uh, Bun...you don't look so hot." The other squire said, noticing the boy's sad and sorry expression. "Any particular reason why? You're not getting sick, are you?"

"No, that's not it..." He moaned in response, averting his gaze down to his feet as he twiddled his sweaty thumbs together nervously.

He was too ashamed to even tell Sword and Blade what he had done. His sister quickly filled the two squires in when it became apparent that Bun couldn't muster an explanation of his own. Perhaps first informing them of what happened was best, since they could help reassure Bun before speaking with Meta Knight.

Once Fumu finished, Sword wordlessly walked over to the boy and clapped a hand over his shoulder.

"Well, it's been nice knowing you, man."

" _Sword_." Blade warned, sending him what must have been a wry look.

"Hey Bun, don't look so down; I was just kidding." Sword backpedaled when he saw his frown deepen, appearing even more miserable. "Look, through all the years Blade and I have traveled with Sir Meta Knight, I've never seen him lose his temper on someone, not once - and keep in mind that we're employed under King Dedede. So you're gonna be fine."

"But...won't he be upset?"

"I can't imagine he would be thrilled to hear this news." Blade was the next to respond. "However, I highly doubt he would hold this incident against you."

"Yeah, if Sir Meta Knight does get mad over this, then he'll just see that something's done about it. He's more of a man of action, you know." Sword trailed on. "Uh...that last thing probably didn't sound very comforting in your situation. Sorry."

 _Sluuuurp..._

 **(** _Hurry Starfish (PaPiPuPe Mix) - Memento_ **)**

Something warm and wet slid across the length of Bun's arm, resulting in him letting out an embarrassingly loud squeal. He nearly took a tumble into the fountain himself, but managed to regain his balance when he realized what had touched him; the blob in question only smiled at him with what was obviously a false sense of obliviousness.

"Aw, I think that means he likes you." Fumu quipped with a giggle at seeing the look of disgust cross his face. "Come on, Bun, don't act so sour in front of him. He's even trying to help you feel better...in his own weird way."

Bun gave the creature a good once over before making his next move. He held out his hand to him, only to remember that the being didn't possess any appendages to grasp it with - aside from his tongue, that is, and he would prefer that stay in his mouth.

The blob quizzically tilted himself to the side as he carefully assessed the palm in front of him. Suddenly, a long arm several times the size of his own body emerged from the creature's side, and then a large, muscular, uncannily human-like hand materialized at its end. He extended his newly formed limb to the boy, who quickly moved away to cower behind his sister.

"Sis, please don't make me touch it...not when it's like _that_."

Noticing Bun's discomfort, the blob frowned and glanced towards Kirby, specifically at his paws. After a moment of contemplation, the bulky arm retreated into the creature's side and in its place sprouted a small, round hand similar to the pink puffball's. He turned to Bun and offered the protrusion to him once again; he hesitantly took it.

"Hewwo...fwend! Naice tu...meeat chu!"

"...Hello, there." He replied with befuddlement, unsure of how else to respond.

"He's speaking in full sentences, just like last night." Fumu observed. "Although I don't remember anyone saying anything like that to him."

"Well, I may have taught the little guy a thing or two in my spare time..." Sword mentioned, trying to keep his tone casual.

"You seem to have grown attached to him." His brother remarked with a hint of surprise.

"Look at him, though. How could he not grow on me when he's so...cute."

A few puzzled glances were sent his way, but the squire paid little attention.

"Anyway, he needs a name of some kind." Sword continued. "Picking something out might be easier if we knew what he was, but we don't, so..."

"I can agree with that much." Blade added. "So, how should we go about the selection process?"

"We could list names until he finds one he likes." Fumu suggested. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

Together, the pair of children and the pair of squires called off a series of names to the blob, who only stared at them blankly and without showing any apparent interest towards each one. It was probable that the creature wasn't fully aware of the concept behind names and didn't even know that he was being asked for his opinion. This went on for what felt like hours until finally the group was nearly ready to pass out from exhaustion.

"This...this is going nowhere..." Bun complained, having flopped on his back atop the lawn a good fifty or so names ago. "Let's just call him George and be done with this."

"We are _not_ calling him 'George'." Fumu deadpanned.

"But what else are we gonna call him, sis? Look at him; he doesn't seem against it."

"Perhaps selecting a name that closely matches his physical traits would be best?" Blade recommended.

"Well, let's see..." Sword trailed off, taking another glance at the blob. "He's round...and he has a long tongue. He has big, dark eyes... I still like the name Gregory, though."

They continued to propose more names, each getting assumedly rejected just as before. None of them could dazzle him. They were just beginning to consider falling back on Bun's earlier suggestion when Kirby suddenly offered his input.

"...Gooey!"

His exclamation had been meant to be an observation of his new friend's physical characteristics, not an offering for a potential name. Nevertheless, the word brought a starry-eyed look in the blob's gaze and a smile so wide it stretched all the way across his face.

"That name..." He muttered to himself, almost as if in a trance. "Gooey...my name!"

"Um..." Fumu stumbled over her words. "I'm not sure if 'Gooey' is actually an appropriate na-"

"Name. _Is_. **_GOOEY_** _!_ "

"Look at it this way, sis." Bun leaned over to whisper. "It's his name; he's the one who's gonna be stuck with it. And he could always change it later."

"Well, I guess so, but still..."

She took another look at the puffball and the blob, dancing around with apparent glee while chanting the word over and over. Her resolve weakened at the sight - the word meant so much to him because Kirby was the one to bestow it upon him, albeit through unintended means.

"...I guess his name is Gooey now." Fumu sighed in defeat, bringing out another round of cheers from the dancing duo.

The soft sound of clinking armor behind the group caught their attention, and Bun felt his heart climb up his throat before taking a sudden drop down to the bottom of his gut - Sir Meta Knight had arrived.

 **(** _Game Over – Ib_ **)**

"I have come to examine the captured creature." He spoke, getting straight to the point, as expected of him.

"Well, 'capture' isn't exactly the word I would use; it's more like 'befriend', but I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not." Fumu explained with a hint of humor, then her tone turned serious. "Actually, Sir Meta Knight, we have something important to tell you. You're...not going to like it, though."

He didn't offer any word or reaction in response, only continuing to gaze at her with the same intensity as before. After a brief pause, the girl decided it was best to not test his patience.

"King Dedede knows about the proxy services."

"It was my fault, Sir Meta Knight!" Bun leapt up from where he sat. "He had no idea about any of this until I opened my big mouth, but I'll take responsibility for this!"

Before the elder Star Warrior could inquire further, the rest quickly began filling in the gaps to Bun's declaration. By the time their clarification was finished, the knight was still impassive as ever.

"Pity." He sighed, more to himself as he withdrew Galaxia, much to Bun's growing horror. "I suppose His Majesty will have to learn to live with the Waddle Dees' cooking from this point onward."

 _"...Huh?"_ That was the only thought that could enter the children's and the squires' heads at that moment. They thought the knight would have been a bit more cross with them at hearing the news - he acted as though it was little more than a minor inconvenience for him.

"Why so quiet?" Meta Knight asked as he sheathed Galaxia, taking in their stupefied expressions.

"Well sir, it's just that..." Sword tripped over his words. "You warned us several times over not to tell anyone about this. We thought you would have been a little more upset..."

"There is little use in expressing anger over the issue. What's done is done." He said, only to be taken aback when Bun suddenly presented him with a familiar knife. "Now what's this?"

"Don't you want it back?" The boy said so quietly the knight almost missed it.

"Why would I? I gifted this knife to you, so it's yours to keep." He answered incredulously. "As long as you haven't been misusing it, I will not ask for it to be returned. If this came because of His Majesty's eavesdropping, I'll hear no more of this - you are by no means to blame."

"...Oh." That was all Bun could stutter in response, not expecting his reply at all.

"Now, back to the matter at hand - I would like to examine this creature before anything else." Meta Knight's gaze flickered to Gooey, who had been staring at the knight the entire time, almost as if he were spellbound.

He barely spared the blob another glance before declaring, "This is not a demon beast."

"Huh, you're able to tell that quickly?" Fumu gaped, though she was admittedly relieved.

"Yes. This creature, although obviously possesses the potential for mass destruction, does not take pleasure in causing it, unlike pureblooded demon beasts. Unprovoked, this creature is harmless."

"But Lololo and Lalala are demon beasts, and they've never hurt anything or anybody." Bun pointed out.

"That is true. However, since Nightmare's defeat, we know far more about demon beasts than in the past." He elaborated, the group mentally concluding that the plural pronoun must have been referring to his comrades in the Galaxy Soldier Army. "In short, we have discovered a system in which Nightmare ranked his creations. Many of his 'products' were in fact not demon beasts, or at least not purebloods."

"Is there a way to tell?" Fumu asked, his last statement bringing a new fear into her mind: how sentient were the foes Kirby once faced?

"Pureblooded demon beasts live and breathe only to cause destruction; they are violent and stupid. They lack any sort of intelligence - they can hardly be considered living beings, below even livestock." As if reading her mind, he then added, "Rest assured, Kirby has only defeated purebloods. As for Lololo and Lalala, they are more or less children; I assume that if the blood of demon beasts is within them, it's relatively small in amount."

"I see. That's good to know." Fumu replied as she felt another wave of relief wash over. "But...if Gooey isn't a demon beast, then what is he?"

 **(** _Cats on Mars – Cowboy Bebop_ **)**

"...Gooey?"

"Oh, well...we decided he needed a name of some kind. He chose the name himself." She added the last part quickly. "And I thought calling him 'it' was kind of rude, since he's a creature capable of thought; he's just like a person. And he sounds like a little boy, but I'm not really sure. He's, well...a blob."

"A peculiar name, but I suppose it suits him well." Meta Knight remarked. "And as long as Gooey gives no sign of objection, I assume it's safe to continue referring to him as male."

"But what is he?" She repeated. "If he's not a demon beast, then what could he be?"

"Very well, I will do my best to provide an answer." He took a step forward, closely eyeing Gooey at every angle. "Judging by physical characteristics and the information Sword and Blade left me, he is...he is... ah, please give me a moment. He is...he is..."

Meta Knight had made a full circle around the blob, scrutinizing him to the last detail. His examination went on for several minutes, sounding less and less sure of himself with each repetition of the two words. Finally, the elder Star Warrior gave a long sigh of defeat and whirled around to face them.

"I have no idea what he is."

"Well, that's a bummer." Bun frowned. "We thought if anyone knew what he was, then you would. You usually have an answer for everything."

"Not everything; I have lived many years and traveled the expanse of the Gamble Galaxy, and throughout those years and amongst those travels, not once have I ever encountered a creature even remotely similar to him."

"Then do you at least have an idea of how he ended up here?"

"I do have one probable answer, as unfortunate as it would be if it were true. Gooey has the intelligence of a young child, not much different from Kirby. It's likely he originates from another star or planet, and was abandoned here on Pop Star to fend for himself."

"That...that's _terrible!_ " Fumu cried in shock. "Who would ever do that to their own child?"

"You would be surprised." Came Meta Knight's rather curt reply, stepping over to Gooey who had wandered into yet another trash can, thankfully without leaving it into a state of disrepair.

Suddenly, the blob's behavior made so much more sense to them all. He was terrified from suddenly being thrust into a new environment all alone, left starving for what could have been _days_ before he found Cappy Village - eating the townsfolk's crops, shoplifting from the grocery store, scrounging whatever he could find from the trash cans, even resorting to devouring non-edible items to sate his growing hunger...

"Poor little guy..." Sword said quietly, followed by a soft nod from Blade; the brothers could definitely sympathize with Gooey's struggles.

"Nevertheless, I believe the best course of action is to integrate Gooey into the village; a difficult mission, I'm sure, given the amount of mayhem he's inflicted. However, with time, I'm certain he will earn their forgiveness. As mentioned, he has the same level of intelligence as Kirby and a high capacity to learn, so their interactions should prove to be beneficial for both of them."

"I see, I guess it would be easier for Kirby to learn if he has a friend by his side." Fumu nodded.

"Now, for another matter of business altogether..." Meta Knight said, his voice shifting to an ominous tone as he withdrew Galaxia once more.

* * *

 **(** _Team Skull – Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

"Your Majesty, I'm begging you, please reconsider." Escargon nearly groveled as the duo approached the throne room. "Think of the expenses! Your already eroded reputation! _My paycheck!_ "

"Would you shut up for one second?!" King Dedede yelled, smacking the snail over the head in retaliation. "I don't care about any of that! I'm the king! I can do whatever I want, and I want a demon beast!"

"But Your Majesty, aren't you even a little bit tired of chasing after Kirby and friends...?" Escargon tried to reason, his concern sounding incredibly sincere. "We've been through this song and dance again and again, and the end result is always the same."

"Hey, didn't I tell you just five seconds ago to shut up? So why haven't you yet?!"

 _"His Majesty is black-hearted to the end..."_ He thought to himself, mentally bidding farewell to his already miniscule paycheck.

Upon entering his throne room, King Dedede was appalled to find he had uninvited guests. Surrounding his transporter were Fumu, Bun, and Kirby, a strange blob-like creature, along with his squires and Meta Knight, who had finally decided to show himself after what had seemed like months. In the knight's hands was the large, thick wire connecting to the system, and with a loud crackle and a pop, he snapped it in half without showing a shred of remorse. Around him lied several other cables in a similar state.

" ** _META KNIIIIIIGHT!_** " The king bellowed, snatching him up by the collar of his cape, the knight dangling from his closed fist like a cat caught by the scruff of the neck.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" He replied coolly, despite the position he was in.

"Don't act so high and mighty! What in the name of the Gamble Galaxy have you done to my delivery system?!"

"I dismantled it."

"Yes, I can see that..." King Dedede seethed, nearly frothing at the mouth. "What I wanna know is, why you thought you had the authority to make that kind of decision!"

"I remained silent on the issue before, however, this time is different. I refuse to allow this senseless harassment towards the townsfolk to continue any longer, especially when they are currently at their lowest point - I would have thought even you would have held some compassion in your heart for them, but it seems I was mistaken."

King Dedede's entire face was the color of a Maxim Tomato. He threw Meta Knight to the floor, who quickly found his footing and retrieved an old rag from the inner folds of his cape to wipe the saliva off the surface of his mask. The monarch opened and closed his mouth several times before ultimately storming out of the throne room and slamming the door with such power, the sound reverberated through the hallway.

He made a beeline for his room, any Waddle Dees in his path immediately moving to the side or out of his sight completely. With another loud slam of the door, King Dedede stomped inside and threw himself on the bed. He screamed his frustrations into his pillow, pounding the sheets with his fists, throwing a tantrum worse than any child's. After he tired himself out, the king turned over onto his back and gazed grumpily at the ceiling.

What had made him so angry was not the knight's defiance, the delivery system's destruction (and therefore being left with Kawasaki's and the Waddle Dees' cooking), or even the dreadful trip to Iceberg - it was Meta Knight's stinging words. Even prior to that, Bun's earlier declaration had been enough to leave him stewing.

 _"Well, it's not that we didn't notice, it's just that we didn't care."_

 **(** _Emil – NieR Gestalt and Replicant Piano Collections_ **)**

It wasn't the first time King Dedede had been faced with such obvious disdain; he knew everyone loathed him immensely. But still, it was the bluntness in which the statement was said that threw the monarch into disarray. Bun was that comfortable with making his dislike towards him apparent, and Meta Knight was no slouch in that department either.

When the king thought about it, nobody really liked him at all. For the longest time, he pretended he was unbothered by this fact. However, once again the issue had wormed its way into his conscience, and no matter what, he couldn't dismiss the thought from his mind.

King Dedede never gave the citizens of Dream Land many reasons to think otherwise; he was always causing trouble in some form or another, and even on the rare occasions he wasn't, it was easy to see why they would cast blame on him for any wrongdoings present in their little country. The only attention he received was when he committed said acts, and at this point, it was too late to turn back now - or at least that was what he sincerely thought.

 _"Even if I wanted to change, there's a fat chance of anyone believing me."_ His grip on the pillow in his hands tightened. _"People like me can't change. All I'm good at is doing bad."_

Suddenly, the lights above began to flicker erratically. King Dedede groaned internally - either the light bulb needed to be changed or Meta Knight decided to cut the power lines as additional punishment. Just another annoyance to add onto his already rotten day.

"Escargon, the light bulb needs to be changed!" The king called out from his place on the bed. "Escargon? **_Escargon!_** I said the light bulb needs to be changed!"

His vocalized demands continued for several long minutes, only ceasing entirely when the lazy monarch ran out of breath. Too tired from his previous outburst, King Dedede let out a long hiss of a sigh before returning to his moping, turning on his side so he wouldn't have to look at the blinking of the lights. Finally, the light bulb shorted out, leaving the room in near darkness, save for the glow-in-the-dark stars he had painted on the walls.

Even the clouds outside his window had blotted out the sun - strange, seeing as he couldn't recall there being rain in the forecast. Then again, Channel DDD _was_ the only forecast system this country had available, and even he would admit his own predictions were faulty at best.

"G̷͜͝ŗ̶̵̴͠ȩ̵̀e̛͘ţi̕҉ń̢̧͞g̴͏̷̶̧ş̷͜͟,̵̶̛ ̵̧̢͞͞Ý̶͠ou̷̶̕͢͢r̛̕͢͢ Ma̷͘͞j̵̶̨̀͠e̴̛s̀̕͢͡ty.̴̸̧͡.̶̡̕.̵̀͠"

"What was that?!" King Dedede asked no one in particular as he sprang up in alarm, sitting up in his bed as he scanned the room over for the source of the garbled noise - whatever it was, it sounded like something that came out of only the most morbid of nightmares.

He had definitely not imagined it; _no one_ could have ever imagined such a dreadful sound. It made his body quiver with dread from the mere sound of it alone, not to mention there was the thought of what sort of creature could possibly _produce_ such a sound.

Carefully, King Dedede slipped out of bed and moved over to the closet - the only other place the noise could have come from. He flung open the door in one swift motion and grabbed his hammer with the other, but all that greeted him was darkness and the piles of junk he had accumulated in there. He closed the door with a soft click and walked to the other side of the room with shaky steps, setting his hammer to the side before choosing to stand in the center of the room.

 _"Maybe this is somebody's smart idea of a prank..."_ He thought to himself, his usual smug demeanor returning. _"Well, I'm not falling for it again! So whoever was watching me running around my bedroom with their secret camera is gonna be in for a nasty surprise when I show up at their place with an arrest warrant."_

"G̷͜͝ŗ̶̵̴͠ȩ̵̀e̛͘ţi̕҉ń̢̧͞g̴͏̷̶̧ş̷͜͟,̵̶̛ ̵̧̢͞͞Ý̶͠ou̷̶̕͢͢r̛̕͢͢ Ma̷͘͞j̵̶̨̀͠e̴̛s̀̕͢͡ty.̴̸̧͡.̶̡̕.̵̀͠"

 **(** _Anima mala – Puella Magi Madoka Magica_ **)**

King Dedede whirled around, finding himself face to face with a creature of unidentifiable origin. The intruder's form was tall, nearly matching the king's own height and only outranking him by the quills on their head. Their entire body was the blackest of blacks, darker than darkness itself. His unwelcomed guest was clothed in fine robes suitable for royalty; consisting of a long tan robe adorned with red and yellow embellishments, just like King Dedede, the neckline of the mantle and shoulder plates being the colors of burnt yellow and mystic purple.

But most shocking was the intruder's face, which possessed solely one eye and was protected by a thick, rectangular visor. Unlike the familiar and friendly Waddle Doos, this cyclops held a steely, glowering gaze that could rival even Meta Knight's. The single gray optic was focused on King Dedede intently, never once straying from him.

"Greetings, Your Majesty..." The being murmured in a deep, raspy, and undeniably male voice. "I have waited what felt like an eternity to meet your acquaintance."

"H-How the heck did you get in here?!" King Dedede exclaimed, never being one to mince words. "Get outta here!"

"How rude, and after you were the one to summon me here."

"Summon? W-What are you, some kinda demon?" His voice trembled despite the ferocity in his tone. "I never asked for you to show up here!"

"Ah, but you did." The shadowy cyclops corrected, floating around him carelessly. "Your misery led me to you. Your psyche has told me you own material possessions of every shape, value, and size, yet you still cannot be satisfied. What you lack, what you desire more than anything, is this concept your kind refer to as _'love'_."

"H-Hey! Who told you that you had any business peeping around in my head or heart or whatever?!" King Dedede stumbled taking a step back from his unwelcomed company.

"Doesn't containing so many emotions become tiresome? Do you not want to rest for a while?" The robed figure's voice dipped down into a much softer tone, their eye raking over the king's figure. "Not the biggest vessel I've had, but not the smallest either... I suppose you'll do..."

"W-What the heck is that supposed to mean?!" The monarch spat, moving further and further backwards as the cyclops floated closer and closer; his back hit the wall. " _Answer me...!_ "

The being offered him no explanation, only closing the gap between them at his own leisure. His unmoving gaze had the king paralyzed, his own focus rapidly fluctuating from the intruder to his hammer, which was unfortunately resting against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

He was cornered; _helpless_.

 **(** _Loop 65 – The Witch's House_ **)**

Then, without warning, the cyclops lunged forward. Two large, misty hands pried open his beak, then the creature slowly, _slowly_ crawled its way inside. The king gagged, struggling with every ounce of his willpower to force the being out of his system - he knew exactly what the cyclops was attempting to do.

A sudden pounding on the door caught his attention, and King Dedede felt a spark of hope. It was Escargon. He could get Kirby and the others to help him! If he could only...speak.

"Es-Escar..." He sputtered weakly, the dark creature still worming his way into the king's body. "...Help!"

"Your Majesty, are you still sulking in there?" The snail scoffed, obviously not hearing the monarch's cries of distress. "Are you that pathetic?"

"Escargon...!" He managed to choke out. " _Please...get help...!_ "

"Your Majesty...?" Escargon shuddered, trying to open the door only to find it was jammed. "Your Majesty! What's going on in there?!"

"Shh..." The cyclops shushed King Dedede as though he were quieting a misbehaving child. "Sleep now, Your Majesty. Forever, if you so wish. Please leave yourself in my care..."

Escargon's blood ran cold at hearing the voice on the other side of the door. Finally, he understood the situation; King Dedede was in grave danger. As obnoxious as he was, Escargon would be gravely upset if the king's life were to meet an untimely end.

The snail snatched a spear from a wandering Waddle Dee on guard duty and threw his own body against the door, listening closely for any confirmation that King Dedede still remained among the living. He could hear him gasp for breath, begging for help at every opportunity available.

Then, there was silence.

Escargon felt his breath leave him, when suddenly he began to switch to autopilot. His eyes filled with tears, abandoning the spear where he stood as he raced down the hallways screeching Meta Knight's name.

King Dedede had not lost consciousness yet, though his severely weakened body was desperately pleading with him to relent. He struggled, trying to grasp the creature with his fists once more, but the result was the same - the shadowy figure slipped through his hands like melted butter. Finally, King Dedede felt his body go limp, his eyelids growing heavy.

"Impressive. I never once thought you would have been capable of putting up such a resistance." He hummed as the last of the king's resolve weakened, the cyclops slithering down his throat completely and squirming through his body. "I greatly underestimated you, Your Highness. You shall make a fine vessel for me yet. I vow to treat you with the utmost care you deserve..."

* * *

"That jerk..." Fumu grumbled to herself as the group sat in the courtyard again. "And to think I was beginning to feel sorry for him!"

"I told ya, sis." Bun replied. "Give him an inch and he'll take a mile."

"At any rate, another crisis has been averted." Meta Knight interjected. "With Nightmare defeated, there is no longer any reason for Kirby to earn experience through defeating demon beasts - that was the sole reason I allowed His Majesty's actions to go unchecked for so long."

"Peace is definitely best." Sword said with a bob of his head. "I don't know why he can't let everything stay that way."

"There are some that simply find amusement in causing trouble at every turn." Blade answered with a sigh. "His Majesty is one of them, as I'm sure we've all gathered."

 **(** _Oh No! – Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

" ** _SIR META KNIIIIIGHT!_** " A voice recognizable as Escargon's screamed in despair. " ** _Where are you?!_** "

"Master Escargon?" He responded, perplexed, only for the snail to drop himself on what constituted as his knees and grasp the knight's armored shoulders like a lifeline. "Master Escargon, please get ahold of yourself!"

"S-Sir Meta Knight...!" He wailed uncontrollably. "I...I always feared this day would come, but... Oh, nothing could have possibly prepared me for this!"

"Escargon, what in stars' name has happened?" Fumu asked, taken aback by the normally snooty snail's behavior.

"I-It's terrible..." He sniffled, letting loose another wet sob. "His...His Majesty has been...has been..."

"Has been _what?_ " Bun questioned, becoming impatient.

"His Majesty has been assassinated in his own bedroom!"

The entire group gasped, save for Kirby and Gooey, who were too young to understand the meaning of the word. However, they were perceptive enough to deduce it wasn't anything good, judging by everyone else's reactions.

"Master Escargon, are you absolutely certain?" Meta Knight inquired further, retrieving a tissue from his cape to give the tearful assistant.

" _Yes!_ I clearly heard His Majesty begging for help, and the door was locked! Then a gravelly voiced stranger told him to be quiet, and then...nothing!" He hurriedly explained through his hysterics, yet another round of sobs escaping him. "And I just left him there to die!"

"This is a very serious matter." The knight said with a hint of urgency, his eyes briefly flashing red. "I ask that everyone remain here while I search the castle. I will hear no arguments on the issue."

At that moment, leaden footfalls echoed across the courtyard, unmistakably discernible despite the loud sniffles from Escargon. The owner sounded as though they were dragging themselves along the ground, as though each step were carrying more weight than the last...

As though they were struggling, not to continue moving, but to stay rooted in one spot.

"I thought you said Dedede was dead." Bun said with narrowed eyes, pointing in the direction of the footsteps. "See? He looks fine to me."

Upon closer inspection, the boy mentally redacted his last statement - the self-proclaimed king of Dream Land did not in any definition of the word look 'fine'. The way he staggered about was unnatural, the sounds that came from his mouth unintelligible, the expression on his face undeniably pained.

" _He...lp..._ " He finished what would be his final act of freedom before totally falling under his captor's hold.

Unfortunately, his warning went unheard due to the faintness of his voice. Dedede's body collapsed onto the lawn with a heavy and resounding thud. Kirby and Meta Knight were the first to recover from their shock, immediately rushing to the fallen king's side.

"Dede, poyo!" The young Star Warrior cried in alarm, shaking him frantically as he fought back tears. "Wake up! Wake up, poyo!"

"He's still breathing." Meta Knight announced, scanning over King Dedede's body. "An examination is in order. Master Escargon, we need Dr. Yabui's expertise. Please find him. For the time being, I can put what little medical knowledge I have to use."

Meta Knight looped his arm under the king's and Kirby the other as they both tried to shift him to a more comfortable position. The others approached the two to offer their assistance, Escargon included before he would call for the doctor, until Meta Knight noticed the thick black mist expelling from the unconscious monarch's mouth. A sudden gleam from the red jewel embedded in Galaxia followed directly by a soft whisper that could only be heard by him, and an abrupt chill raced down the veteran Star Warrior's back.

 **(** _Fake Orchestra – OFF_ **)**

"Don't get close to him!" He shouted, dropping the king's limp arm as he leapt several feet backwards. "Get away from him, Kirby! His Majesty's will is not his own anymore!"

Before Kirby could make any sense of his mentor's word of caution, a large gloved hand snatched him by the top of his head and held him firmly in place as his captor suspended him in midair. The abruptness of the action left the pink puffball too stunned to react, letting out a surprised whimper as clouds of inky black smoke billowed from King Dedede's throat.

His grip on Kirby tightened as a pair of long, dark arms with clawed yet human-like fingers burst from King Dedede's back, an obvious threat to the surrounding bystanders daring them to interfere. Meta Knight's eyes flashed from green to red in a fraction of a second, leaping to his young pupil's defense. One of the shadowy arms captured him mid-air, then flung him against the bricks of the castle walls as if he were nothing more than an unwanted toy.

"Sir Meta Knight!" Fumu gasped, her focus rapidly switching from the downed knight to Kirby.

"Sis, get out of the way!" Bun grabbed her arm, leading her and the just as frightened Escargon away from the scene. "We need to find somewhere safer than here! This guy means business!"

"But...but what about Kirby?" She asked quietly, for once at a loss on what to do. "That's King Dedede... he can't actually fight him, can he? Not without actually... _hurting_ him."

The manifested hand that swatted Meta Knight aside then raised itself, raking its claws through the air. In its place was a swirling black vortex, and the hand holding Kirby was slowly inching itself towards it. Sword and Blade hurried to reach them, but were cast away just as easily as their lord.

" ** _KIRBEEEEEEEEEEE!_** " Gooey suddenly shrieked, far louder than he ever had before.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but through Meta Knight's rapidly failing vision, he thought he saw a glint of recognition in the possessed king's gaze. As quickly as it came, any traces of emotion were diminished, and the being that had taken control of their king hurriedly proceeded with attempting to push Kirby through the portal. The elder Star Warrior's feet trembled; he stabbed Galaxia into the ground and forced himself to stand, leaning against the ancient weapon for support.

 _"It's using him as a shield..."_ He gritted his teeth, eyes burning red. _"One sword beam is all I would need, but I can't do that...not with Kirby at risk of being caught in the attack."_

" ** _NOOOOOOOOO!_** " Gooey screeched again, tears running down his cheeks as the puppeteer shoved Kirby into the portal.

"Your hero has gone somewhere far away." The hollow, almost melancholy voice Escargon heard earlier echoed from deep within the king's chest. "There is little use in searching for him; he could be anywhere in this galaxy at this point. Perhaps even floating aimlessly in another dimension."

"You...you **_monster!_** " Fumu screamed, momentarily forgetting her fear and charged towards him with a vase in tow - in her right mind, she knew that would have done little to harm this powerful foe, but her fury had gotten the better of her.

Before she could reach him, another portal opened directly above him. The possessed King Dedede slowly lifted off the ground and floated into it, the gateway sealing shut immediately after he passed through, ruining any chance for those left behind to give chase.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, how many weren't expecting King Dedede to be his same usual self when he first appeared in this chapter? It was a false alarm, a misleading build-up! He was actually fine all along! ...Until towards the end, that is.

At any rate, from this point onward and for the remainder of the arc is where the adaptation of Kirby's Dream Land 2's plot begins. Those that have played the game, are familiar with the series, or have read the BETA probably know the basic formula of the arc, as can be said for all other games in the series. However, my goal is that even though you may have played the games or know what's going to happen ahead of time, my writing will still surprise you! At least, that's what I hope for - after all, even though I try to follow both series' canon about 99% of the time, I am known to take liberties from time to time.

Case in point, the demon beast percentage system mentioned by Meta Knight. The anime was dodgy about demon beasts, and how chaotic or benevolent they were depended on the plot for the episode. I decided to make it a bit less vague and give some background on Nightmare's stratagems surrounding his creations - we'll hear more about that later.

I was at first confused as to how Gooey should receive his name in the story, as well as at what point the cast begins referring to him as 'he' instead of 'it'. I thought it would be sort of a sweet bonding moment between them if Kirby was actually the one to name Gooey, even if inadvertently. It sounds like something he would have chosen - simple and to the point, which is funnily enough the exact opposite of Gooey. Except maybe if you take his character design into account. His design is so straightforward but charming, so it makes me wonder if Sanei will ever release a plush of him. Probably not...

Barely anyone remembers Gooey. The last cameo he had aside from the recent one in Planet Robobot as a sticker was in Super Smash Bros. Melee... that was a long time ago! But when discovering this character a few years ago, I made a silent vow to myself - I would not allow Gooey to become completely forgotten, even if I was the only one in the Kirby community to remember him and keep him alive.

Also, a small explanation. During King Dedede's rant, he said he had previously announced his plans to go to Iceberg. However, you may be wondering why nobody seemed to remember him mentioning this - this little moment is meant to emphasize just how much the rest of the cast tune his presence out when he's not causing trouble for them. Certainly Fumu isn't exactly happy that he's buying real estate in Iceberg, but she only took notice of it afterwards when she suspects he's up to no good again. In the anime, or at least the Japanese version, it's made clear that many of King Dedede's misdeeds are actually due to ignorance or are cries for attention. As big of a jerk as he can be, he does have feelings, and I thought it was important to showcase that in this chapter. King Dedede wants appreciation more than anything, but at this point, he honestly believes he's gone in too deep to go back now.

As for why Meta Knight, the ultimate benevolent(?) stalker wasn't aware of the Iceberg trip, consider that his own presence has diminished to just about zero around the castle. As attentive as he is to details, he can't keep tabs on King Dedede when he's not there. In a way, it's a touch ironic: King Dedede learning about the proxy services can ultimately be traced back to Meta Knight's absence.

Finally, thank you for your patience in finishing this extremely lengthy chapter. There was a lot of material to cover, but I'm happy with how this chapter turned out. From this point onward is where Kirby's adventure truly begins in this arc - his first adventure without Fumu and Bun by his side. However, he won't be enduring it alone, as anyone familiar with Kirby's Dream Land 2 will know.


	6. Grass Land

Chapter 6 - Grass Land

A world of blue and white met Kirby's vision upon awakening. When last conscious, he recalled the skies were dark and gray, an almost sure sign of incoming rain. However, the bright sunrays on his squinting eyelids were a large contrast to the earlier noontime weather. He was currently lying on his back, noticing a soft layer of grass was cushioning him as he became more aware of his surroundings.

 **(** _World 1: Grass Land - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

He struggled to sit up, his body feeling unexplainably weak. Glancing around, seemingly endless plains of grass decorated with fields of flowers and gently sloping hills surrounded him entirely. Kirby quickly pieced together that he was not in Green Greens, or at least not in a part that he was familiar with - Green Greens' ecosystem was more tame due to civilization being located close by. This area almost seemed completely untouched by what the people of Cappy Village considered modern life.

There was certainly plenty of life around him, though. A few Waddle Dees, no different in appearance from those he often saw working in Castle Dedede, were carrying on their daily routines around him as though seeing a stranger snoozing on their common land was nothing unusual. He briefly considered asking one of them where he was until he happened to remember that their species spoke a different language - he barely knew how to communicate in his first language, much less another.

As Kirby found his footing, a sudden pain echoed through his head. He knew he was forgetting something important, such as how he ended up here in the first place, but try as he might, nothing was coming to mind. Before he awoke here, he was at Castle Dedede with his friends, then... Kirby's own mental interrogation was drawing a blank. Something happened earlier, that much was certain, but _what?_

The young Star Warrior began to nervously twiddle his paws together. Did anyone know where he was? How much time had passed between him falling unconscious and waking up here? How far away was he from home? Was getting home even possible at this point?

He quickly shook his head at the last thought; that sort of negative thinking was not the way to go about in this situation. He would find his way home somehow, but discovering his current location was necessary. Looking around, there were no signs to indicate where he was and nobody to talk to. The only option he had left was to press onward and find answers on his own.

Kirby wandered around the vast grassy landscape for a while, no closer to a solution than he was earlier. Loneliness was starting to seep its way into his heart, overpowering even the slight throbbing that had developed in his cranium since standing up. This was the first time he had ever faced such a trial - his friends had always been there for him, comforting him when he was afraid and encouraging him when he was insecure.

Here, he had no one.

Then, a shrill scream suddenly pierced through the quiet atmosphere, sending the Waddle Dees in the area into a slight panic - two of them even collided with each other in their startled state. Setting aside his own problems, Kirby immediately set out in the direction of the cry. More shouts followed, another and another, making it easier for the young Star Warrior to find the one calling for help.

The sounds of distress eventually led him to a small cave, the smell of smoke wafting from the inside. He didn't have a Copy Ability equipped, yet his instincts as a Star Warrior and kind nature as a whole refused to allow him to waste even a single second when someone was possibly in danger. Kirby dove into the cave's entrance, ignoring any thoughts in the back of his head that said going in unarmed was unwise.

At reaching the core of the cavern, the pink puffball was met with the sight of a small stony room nestled within, a large cauldron sitting in the center. Underneath it lied a raging fire, crackling furiously and producing thick clouds of smoke. Suspended a few feet above by a rope was a large burlap sack, wriggling desperately and swinging about, and much to Kirby's astonishment, the cries of help he heard before were coming from there.

Standing in front of the cauldron was an odd black creature with a quilled upper body which stood on two short, red legs. Small paws much like Kirby's were stirring the broth with a stick and the flames that spewed from its mouth kept the homemade stove active. Oval-shaped yellow eyes shifted away from its cooking, narrowing angrily when catching sight of the pink puffball.

" _...Efreeti._ " It hissed.

 **(** _Versus Laurentia - Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea_ **)**

Kirby assumed this creature was a demon beast, and he was correct. It was a product of Nightmare's that never saw the light of day; a being that delighted in covering anything and everything around it in flames, full-blooded, and the only amount of intelligence it possessed was acknowledgement of the name it was given - Efreeti.

Efreeti jumped away from him, the quills on its head bristling before ultimately charging forward as a blazing inferno. Kirby narrowly dodged the attack, the embers it left behind dancing in the air almost as if mocking him. Before he could act himself, the demon beast rushed towards him and crashed into his side. Kirby yelped in pain as the flames licked at his skin, and the surrounding smoke stung his eyes and caused them to water. Efreeti seemed to find enjoyment in his torment, emitting what sounded like a maniacal, high-pitched giggle.

Kirby quickly patted himself down, deciding he did not want to experience being burned by this demon beast twice. His gaze then settled on the stick Efreeti had left behind. He dashed towards it and stuffed one end into the fire below the cauldron, then inhaled the burning torch in one swift motion to become Fire Kirby.

Thankfully, this particular demon beast did not gain strength from being exposed to its own harnessed element, as Efreeti let out a startled screech when hit by Kirby's own flames. The demon beast began to move around the room erratically, rushing at random in an effort to land in another attack while avoiding the opposing waves of heat from the young Star Warrior.

During their scuffle, Efreeti lunged at Kirby, successfully tackling him as obnoxious laughter escaped its throat. The demon beast's amusement lasted only for a moment because its attack had sent the pink puffball hurtling into the cauldron's side, the force of the impact enough to send it tumbling over and spilling its contents on the floor. The majority of it was dumped over Efreeti, extinguishing its fire by a great amount despite the scalding temperature of the broth. This left the demon beast open for attack, allowing Kirby to finish it off with a Burning Lunge of his own.

Efreeti let out an earsplitting shriek then burst into a small shower of stars before those too faded entirely, leaving not a single trace of its existence left. With the enemy defeated, Kirby could now turn his attention to the demon beast's captive. Taking a deep breath, the young Star Warrior floated to the ceiling of the cave and towards the suspended burlap sack. He let out a single puff of air, the embers on his breath alone enough to burn through the rope. However, he failed to account for the victim's landing, sending the poor person inside on a painful trip to the ground.

" _Ow...!_ I think I hit my head..." A voice familiar to Kirby groaned as the sack on the ground opened up to reveal Rick the Hamster. "Oh, Kirby! You saved me!"

Rick swiftly picked himself up off the ground and threw his paws around Kirby in gratitude, being careful to avoid the fiery crown resting on his head. He then took a few wary glances around the room for any sign of danger before realizing that the pink puffball must have defeated the culprit that kidnapped him. After taking a closer look at his surroundings, it was obvious that a skirmish had taken place - the cauldron was overturned, and they were standing in the broth Efreeti had intended to broil him in.

And as much as Rick hated to admit it, it smelled _delicious_.

"I was walking along minding my own business when I was suddenly nabbed from behind and dragged back here in that sack. I couldn't see a thing! All I knew was that I could hear a big pot boiling below me and I smelled something cooking... That thing was a demon beast, right? I thought Fumu said they were all gone. Or could there have been some leftovers or something?"

Since explaining the full story would be too much of a mouthful, Kirby settled for answering with a little nod and a 'ya'. Both in fact had a few questions for the other to answer, but they agreed evacuating the cave was the better option for the time being. Rick grabbed the burlap sack on the ground and threw it over the exposed fire that the cauldron had once rested over, effectively snuffing it out before exiting.

The pair found a resting spot on a small hill not far from the other entrance at the opposite end of the cave. They spent a few minutes enjoying the fresh air around them after being forcibly exposed to Efreeti's nearly nauseating smokescreens. Once the two regained their breath, the round of inquiries began.

"First of all, I really should be asking what you're doing here." Rick started. "Not that I didn't appreciate your help back there; you really saved my bacon! But, well, figuring out how you got here in the first place would be kinda nice to know."

Kirby shrugged, not knowing how he ended up where he was either. But if Rick had been traveling the lands at his leisure before being abducted, then it was probable that the hamster happened to know this place.

"Where is...here?" The pink puffball asked, gesturing to the landscape around them.

 **(** _Grass Land - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

"You...you don't know where you are? Where this place is?" He questioned, scratching his head. "Well Kirby, you're in Grass Land right now. You know, one of the Rainbow Islands? That's what's got me confused; how did you not know you're on an island? I mean, I guess Grass Land and the rest of the islands could seem pretty big to a little guy like you, but..."

Kirby frowned. His eyes widened a bit at hearing he was currently standing on one of the Rainbow Islands, but returning home shouldn't be too difficult an issue, much to his relief. The Rainbow Islands were a part of Dream Land's territory, so that meant Cappy Village probably wasn't too far off from Grass Land's shores according to what he could remember from the illustration in Fumu's history book.

"Huh? How did I get here?" The rather large hamster asked for confirmation. "Oh, see, there are ships that come to dock on Dream Land's beaches, and sometimes they come out here. I was itching for a change of scenery, so I thought I would drop by here to visit since I hadn't in a while."

Kirby's face lit up at that - there was his way home to his friends. All he needed to do was find the docking port on Grass Land and wait for a ship to arrive.

"Um, sorry to break this to you, but the ship that brought me here dropped me off early this morning, and it won't be coming back for another couple of days..." Rick added sheepishly, correctly guessing the child's thoughts from his determined expression.

And just like that, his hopes were shot down again. Kirby let himself fall on his back, staring up at the fluffy, white clouds that dotted the sky. After only a few seconds of sulking in silence, he came upon another escape plan from the island he was trapped on - he could float away from Grass Land!

This idea got him a mere fifty feet's distance before he sunk back down to the ground, his arms sapped of strength from flapping to keep himself airborne. If he couldn't float for even a few minutes, then how could he possibly hope to cross the sea? The pink puffball let out a groan of frustration and flopped onto his stomach.

Everything about this situation seemed off to him: He's woken up in an unfamiliar land, has no memory of how he got here, Rick was taken captive by a demon beast (something that he found had no plausible explanation for appearing on Pop Star, much less a small island in Dream Land), and there was an occasional unsettling feeling in the atmosphere since he arrived in Grass Land - almost as if he were being watched.

Nothing about this made any sense. If only he could remember what happened prior to this point, then maybe something would become clear...

"Whoa there, Gilligan." Rick said as he jogged over to him, finding Kirby after he had landed over one of the larger hills that decorated the island. "I know you want to get home, but we don't have too many options right now. Well, I guess we could travel over to Big Forest using the Rainbow Bridge and catch the boat that comes by tomorrow morning. Does that sound alright? Will it keep you from dropping out of the sky like a log?"

Kirby sighed, then responded with a brief nod. What other choice did he have?

"Don't worry, Kirby. I'll make sure you're taken care of every minute you're with me. You can count on ol' Rick to keep you safe...even though you've already rescued me once today." The hamster took the child's arm in his own. "But you're in good paws, I can promise you that much."

The young Star Warrior allowed himself to be led by Rick; even though he hadn't spent as much time with him as his friends in the village, Kirby knew he was trustworthy and dependable. Aside from Coo, Rick was the one the other animals of Whispy Woods' Forest often went to for advice - his tendency to travel and explore had given him some useful tidbits of knowledge to share.

"So, how did things go with that weird thing you brought back to the castle?" He asked after a while of walking. "Was it a demon beast too? If so, I bet Dedede had something to do with it. That guy just never learns to stop playing with dangerous stuff, does he? Nothing good ever comes out of it, for us or even himself."

 **(** _Suspense - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney_ **)**

At the mentioning of the King of Dream Land, Kirby stopped in his tracks. Rapid flashes of random images crossed his mind; he and the blob splashing each other in the courtyard fountain, Meta Knight dismantling the delivery system in the throne room, King Dedede collapsing in front of him...

Then he realized; they weren't just random thoughts, they were _memories_.

Kirby let out a horrible shriek, sending several innocent Waddle Dees scrambling around in fright at his sudden outburst. He was remembering everything that happened before he woke up in Grass Land. King Dedede falling unconscious, the black mist and shadowy arms around him, being shoved into the portal that brought him here. He remembered _everything_.

"Kirby, what's wrong?!" Rick cried in alarm, checking the panicking puffball over for any signs of injury. "Did you step on something? Did you get stung by a bee?"

He quickly shook his head, looking up into Rick's eyes with a sense of urgency. How could he have forgotten what happened in the courtyard, unless it was a side effect of being sent through the portal. What had happened to his friends afterwards? If only he had acted at the time, he thought, but as soon as that dark, clawed hand touched him, he had felt helplessly immobilized. It had sucked any will to fight out of him.

"Dede, poyo! Dede may in trouble!" Kirby said in a rush of breath. "Some bad thing in him, poyo!"

"You've got that right, that's for sure." The hamster replied, not understanding the meaning behind the puffball child's words. "I guess even a bright little ball of pink sunshine like you eventually woke up and smelled the coffee on that truth, huh?"

"No, no, no!" He moaned in frustration, much to Rick's further concern. "Dede in trouble. Bad dark thing got in him then took me here! Don't know what happen after that!"

After carefully mulling it over, his furry companion eventually deciphered Kirby's explanation. The joy he felt at hearing him speak so well was overcome when the gravity of the situation sunk in.

"Wait a minute...are you trying to tell me that King Dedede's been _possessed?_ "

"Ya!" He shouted at hearing the term Meta Knight had once used to describe the affliction, though he hadn't worded it that way this time - he believed the knight had referred to it as 'His Majesty's will no longer being his own' or something similar.

"Oh man...you've gotta be joking..." Rick gaped, wide-eyed with disbelief. "And you're not joking, are you? Whoo boy, King Tubbs has really got himself in a pickle this time... Did a demon beast he ordered turn on him again like usual?"

"No, poyo. Deviry stem smashed!" Kirby explained, smacking one of his palms with the other for emphasis. "Kni-kni did!"

 _"Kni-kni? ...Oh, he must mean Sir Meta Knight. What a cute nickname."_ The hamster thought to himself with a not-so-well-hidden grin. _"Still, it was about time someone did something about that stupid thing."_

"Okay, so that probably rules out that idea. Still, this is a big problem. He's a pain in the side, yeah, but having a puppet for a king could cause a lot of trouble for us Dream Landers. Looks like something's gotta be done pronto if it hasn't been taken care of already. So...we pretty much go with the same thing we had planned five minutes ago - we get on over to Big Forest asap and catch the boat home at dawn."

Kirby bobbed his head in agreement, a spark of determination present in his eyes. Rick chuckled softly to himself and led the way for the lost, yet powerful child in his care. With that, the unlikely duo headed off in search of the sole pathway to the island next over - what they weren't aware of was, this was only the beginning of their adventure together.

* * *

Everyone present in the courtyard stared at the air where the portals had manifested, at a complete loss.

 **(** _Our Children Taken - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess_ **)**

The dark gloom present over Castle Dedede had let up shortly after the madness subsided, but the depressing mood still remained. Kirby and King Dedede had both vanished, and the chances of finding the former before the latter were slim - the children tried to push away the very real possibility that they may never see the young Star Warrior again from their thoughts.

The siblings had exhausted all theorized methods of locating Kirby. The Gamble Galaxy was immensely vast; Pop Star itself seemed rather large when the reality was it was an average sized planet at best. In what Fumu had thought to have been a stroke of brilliance, she tried calling for the Warp Star to find him, but that too proved futile when all it could do was circle the air aimlessly and return to Kabu.

Escargon was quietly sniffling in the background, the only one of them to have moved at all since the incident earlier. He was pacing back and forth, back and forth, back and forth non-stop in front of the fountain - it was almost annoying, but no one dared to call him out on it. They knew he was in just as much emotional turmoil as anyone else here.

Gooey had slipped back into a near perpetual state of nervousness and fear, quivering and shaking where he stood as he uttered several nonsensical cries of despair, the one word recognizable being the name 'Kirby'. Despite their short time of knowing each other, the blob had latched onto him and trusted him. Without Kirby, he felt as though all the courage he had built up before had been reduced to nothing.

The castle squires were eerily quiet as well, even the normally more outspoken of the two, Sword - they felt as though they had let Fumu, Bun, Meta Knight, and especially Kirby down. The two had trained under Meta Knight for countless years to better prepare themselves for such situations; seeing the veteran Star Warrior in action that fateful day in the distant past, being spared by him from the wolf-like demon beast borne of flames even after they attempted to rob him had ignited something within them - they wanted to inspire that feeling in others, so Sword and Blade became his squires.

And yet, they had utterly squandered all their training in every way possible today.

As much shame as they felt, it was miniscule compared to the disgust Meta Knight had accumulated, not over their failure, but his own. Kirby was now possibly lost to the void of space, and all because he had not acted soon enough. As soon as that shadowy hand had touched his skin, even though direct contact had lasted no more than an instant, his entire body felt paralyzed. And that was before the blow had sent him crashing into the castle wall.

This new enemy was a powerful one. While possession of the mind and/or body was an ability some of Nightmare's creations had, as King Dedede had been victim to a few times before, this was also something else entirely.

After several more moments of silence, Meta Knight was the first to speak up. He needed to amend his earlier mistakes by informing them of what little he knew, just this once.

"That creature...could not have been a demon beast." He said quietly, still leaning against Galaxia for support.

"What...what are you talking about?" Escargon hissed, his eyes noticeably bloodshot. "I don't know how it came here, but what else could that _thing_ have possibly been?"

"I am unsure, but I believe the being that stole His Majesty has no correlation with Nightmare or any of his creations. That creature was emanating an entirely different aura, far more dangerous than that of any demon beast Kirby has ever faced before."

"How can you be sure if you don't even know what it is?" The snail questioned bitterly. "All I know is, His Majesty is gone... I know he wasn't the best king Dream Land could ask for, and that he made some bad choices...a lot of bad choices, but through all the undeserved hatefulness, the ridiculous schemes, and even the poundings I've received to the head, he was still my best friend..."

His voice was so faint, it was almost indiscernible. Everyone else felt a twinge of sympathy rush over for the normally sour snail - they were lamenting their loss of Kirby, but they hadn't considered just how deeply Escargon was affected by the matter of King Dedede being taken as well. In the eyes of the castle and village denizens, the two were always bickering and fighting, a near endless game of one-upmanship. Now it was clear he cared much more about the childish king of Dream Land than he initially let on, if his previous tearful outburst hadn't been proof enough.

"This is all so confusing." Bun spoke up, scratching at his head a bit too roughly. "What could that guy get by walking around and pretending to be Dedede?"

"You make a good point. As of now, we have no leads as to what intentions this enemy holds." Meta Knight said regrettably. "One would think His Majesty was a target due to his position of power in Dream Land, but masquerading as the king would have been a more efficient strategy if that were the case. This would mean the possessor has a different motive in mind."

"But what?" Fumu moaned with worry. "This would be easier if we knew what led up to this, and what that thing is in the first place since it's not a demon beast. Knowing where Kirby and King Dedede are now wouldn't hurt either..."

Her last sentence was soft, sounding as though she were on the verge of tears. She was doing her best to hide the despair she felt, for her younger brother's sake; he was just as emotionally susceptible as she was, perhaps even more so as much as he tried to deny it.

"But you heard that guy speaking through Dedede; Kirby could be _anywhere_ in the Gamble Galaxy!" Bun shouted, his own dueling emotions of anger and grief showing in his tone. "Starting an intergalactic search party and actually pulling it off is probably even harder than it sounds! Even worse, what if we do find him? What can he do except march up to the guy and get sent somewhere else all over again? We weren't supposed to have to deal with really bad stuff like this again! Everything about this _stinks!_ "

"Bun, I know this is bad, but right now we need to keep a level head and try to think positive." His sister calmly argued, even though she felt like screaming too. "And listen to yourself; it isn't like you to doubt Kirby's abilities like that. If we- no, _when_ we find him, I'm sure we can figure out a strategy together to save King Dedede and defeat whatever has possessed him."

What followed after her miniature speech was a series of doubtful cries from Escargon, Bun, and even the squires. As their debates increased, so did the loudness of their voices. The noise was proving to be too much for the already borderline neurotic Gooey, who's own screams could hardly be matched by any when he was felt the need to be overly vocal.

Nobody wanted to say it, but the probabilities leaning towards the king of Dream Land still being safe were something they couldn't be sure of. He almost seemed unbearably pained when they encountered him, and Escargon had been almost fully convinced that King Dedede had been knocking on Death's door at the time.

Who was to say he wasn't moments before the ugly creature within him revealed itself?

"I'm going to find him."

 **(** _Dispossession / Pluck Ver. - NieR Gestalt and Replicant_ **)**

Meta Knight's declaration had been so abrupt, so strong, yet so contrasting to the lowered voice he had maintained during the increasingly hectic conversation it temporarily stunned the group into silence. Without any further input, he began to walk away from them until a sudden tug on his cape caught his attention. Escargon had somehow warped from the other side of the courtyard to directly behind the knight in the span of a single second.

"Are you _insane?!_ You...You're just going to leave us here to fend for ourselves when that body snatcher could come back at any time? Even you would have to realize that's an irresponsible decision on your part!" He shouted, but a leery look from the caped Star Warrior made him sheepishly release the fabric.

Meta Knight briefly pondered over his words, and Escargon was right - leaving the already vulnerable Cappy Village to find Kirby and hunt down King Dedede was a bad choice of action. He was Dream Land's sole defender at the moment, so he needed to take responsibility and protect the citizens from further harm. He highly doubted His Majesty's abductor was content with stealing his body and identity, no, there was a grander scheme of things somewhere in this situation.

"...You are correct, Master Escargon." He said at last, almost begrudgingly. "To leave you to defend yourselves in a crisis would not be an honorable decision for any Star Warrior to make, no matter the circumstances."

Escargon let out a soft sigh of relief at him agreeing, though it did little to calm his overwhelming anxiety. Still, Meta Knight was a veteran from the centuries long war against Nightmare; he may have been caught off guard earlier, but Escargon understood that for, in the snail's own words, 'an old geezer', the knight had made it this far for a reason.

Sword and Blade wanted so badly to deny his claim and tell him they would protect the people as he searched for Kirby, but after their shoddy performances today, how could they possibly expect their lord to entrust them with such a heavy responsibility? And so, the two squires merely nodded their heads and remained silent, disregarding their own feelings on the matter.

"From here, I think the best way to proceed is for Gooey to begin aiding the village in repairs; the sooner sturdy bridges are built between them, the better - metaphorically speaking. Fumu, Bun, I assume you will be accompanying him during the process?"

"Well, yes, but..." Fumu trailed off with a small frown. "...What about Kirby? It sounded like you had an idea of where he could be, or at least how to find him."

"I do not have any presumption of where he could be, but I do have an idea of how to broaden our search. The Galaxy Soldiers that are left happen to be stationed all across the Gamble Galaxy on sharp lookout for any rogue demon beasts at this time. Perhaps, with them as spread out as they are, one could run across Kirby and inform us of his location. A few modifications to the delivery system and I should be able to establish connections with some of them."

"Uh, the delivery system you smashed?" Bun questioned with a small gulp.

"I only disabled the mechanics that allowed the usage of the delivery service, not anything pertaining to intergalactic calls. I couldn't leave myself without a way to contact Sir Arthur, after all."

"Wait a minute..." Escargon narrowed his eyes, pulling at his whiskers. "You've been using the delivery system for your own agenda this whole time?! I thought the missing chunks from my salary was from His Majesty's take-out fast food orders, not because you were calling your Glee Club buddies in the middle of the night! He's been taking out money from _my_ paycheck to bill _your_ expensive over-the-phone operations!"

"I duly apologize for any hardships my life as a Star Warrior has brought you, Master Escargon." Meta Knight's voice was pleasantly calm, but his tone suggested he wasn't that remorseful for the aftereffects of his actions, even sounding somewhat sarcastic.

Before the pair of siblings and Gooey could slink off from the scene, the three feeling as though they weren't going to be very welcome there with the current mood set, Meta Knight brought them to another grinding halt.

"Wait. Sword, Blade, I want you to go with them." He ordered his idle squires, who immediately turned to attention. His voice then lowered once more to address them solely. "There's safety in numbers, and right now we can't afford to take too many risks. Consider it an escort mission, if you would. The point being, you must protect them with your lives if need be."

"Of course, sir." They both replied without a moment's hesitation.

"We can't be too sure of anything at the present time. Be prepared for any signs of danger and act accordingly, that is the only piece of advice I can lend to you." He said, turning heel and walking away while pointedly ignoring the still fuming Escargon. "As for myself, once I finish contacting my comrades, I will be joining you on surveillance duty."

"Translation: He's gonna find the tallest place in the village and stand there for _hours_." Sword whispered, his madcap persona returning.

"So it looks like you guys are our bodyguards." Bun stated with a frown. "Does Sir Meta Knight really think it may come to you two having to protect us?"

"I believe he has the right idea." Blade answered along with a short nod. "He has everyone's best interest and safety in mind, but nevertheless, we will do our best not to make nuisances of ourselves...isn't that right, Sword?"

"...Huh? Did you say something?" He pretended not to have heard his brother's remark, but the other squire knew he heard him.

"No no, it's not like that! We appreciate that you're coming with us as extra support." Fumu waved away his concerns.

"But don't worry, Fumu. Even if there won't be any reason for us to be there, Blade and I aren't going to just stand around; we'll help you with repairs and dealing with the townsfolk however we can." Sword assured, giving a single gloved thumbs up.

"Thank you so much." She sighed, though it was a happy one. "If I'm being honest, I do feel a lot better about this whole thing knowing that you're going to be by our side, Sword and Blade."

"Yeah, after everything that's happened, it's nice to know you both have our backs like always." Bun managed a grin, returning Sword's gesture.

Sword and Blade were struck speechless by their praise. Even after they had failed so tremendously to change the outcome of the earlier battle, the children still thought highly of them and trusted in their abilities. Even the nervous wreck that was Gooey lessened his stiff posture and allowed himself to relax slightly in their presence.

They _felt safe_ around them. They were _relying_ on them.

And that alone was enough for the squires to pull themselves together - for the ones that believed in them.

* * *

 **(** _Rick the Hamster - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

The duo of Rick and Kirby had been traveling the hills and plains of Grass Land for several hours. The hamster had been right earlier; though this place is an island, it felt absolutely huge to Kirby. In his defense, the Rainbow Islands were above decently sized, quite a bit bigger than your average island. That, and the pink puffball knew very little about what lied outside of Cappy Village, the small portion of knowledge he had gained being from Fumu reading her books to him.

If he had to go through this alone, Kirby was certain he would have wandered about hopelessly lost for perhaps days on end. Luckily, Rick was by his side and acting as his guide. The young Star Warrior was well aware of how fortunate he had been, discovering he wasn't too far from home after all and finding someone that was familiar with the layout of the land.

Rick was taking this window of opportunity to bond with him. The hamster had always liked Kirby, even during the period when just about everyone else in the village was still wary of him. He knew from their first meeting that Kirby was the type to obliviously wander into trouble, so Rick decided he needed to act as his big brother and guardian during this time with him in his company. He adjusted well into this role within the first half hour, offering to give the child a ride on his back when his feet grew tired of walking for so long. Normally Kirby was capable of going great distances without wearing down, but his earlier encounter with the dark being at the castle and the battle against Efreeti had left him drained of energy.

The hamster had definitely kept him entertained during their journey, whether it was pointing out specific things in the scenery around them, telling him stories about his many excursions around Dream Land, and even singing word salad lyrics to songs he had made up. At one point, it began to rain briefly, and he even managed to find an umbrella and held it for Kirby to keep both of them dry. With Rick around, there was no room to be bored or anxious; he kept the uncertainties of their situation at bay.

"Okay, Kirby, once we climb up this hill, we should be able to see the Rainbow Bridge that leads to Big Forest. It's still kind of a long ways off, but at least we're in the home stretch now."

However, once they reached the top, the two were met with a sight too horrible for words.

There, in the far distance, was the Rainbow Bridge, only it had been reduced to worthless, gray rubble.

 **(** _Those Who Dream - Dreaming Mary_ **)**

At first, they could only stare at the destruction in silence and shock, their minds still working to process what was before them. It was heartbreaking for reasons they couldn't even begin to describe, seeing a beautiful structure meant to connect seven radically different islands now torn down. Somehow, they both knew, even without exchanging a single word, that this was no accident. And it was not just an act of vandalism either, it was also an act of pure hate.

"How...how could this have happened...? ...Wh-Who did this?" Rick stuttered as he let go of the umbrella, slipping down to the ground and onto his behind with Kirby still clinging to his back.

"Aufuw..." The pink puffball whimpered. 'Awful' really was a fitting word for this.

"Kirby...I'm so sorry. I promised I would help you get home safe, but..." He buried his face in his paws. "If Grass Land's Rainbow Bridge is like this, then who's to say that the others aren't in the same shape?"

The hamster had been so upbeat and hardy during their journey, so to see him so downcast, it just added to the stress of the current situation. Kirby wanted to do something, _anything_ to lift his friend's spirits, especially after he had taken such good care of him during their short time together so far.

He waddled over to the fallen umbrella and picked it up, presenting it to Rick. He looked up at Kirby in confusion until the pink puffball gazed deeply at him with shining and determined blue eyes.

"...Fix this." He said softly. "We...Kaabi and Rick...we fix this."

"...How?" The other questioned, doubt clear in his tone. "How can we possibly fix _this_ disaster? I know you're practically the village's miracle worker at this point, but there's nothing we can do about... _this_. We'll just have to wait for that boat to come back for us in a few days...and for the folks here in Grass Land to work together and build another bridge. The people on the rest of the islands will probably have to do the same thing for their own bridges too..."

Kirby rapidly shook his head in protest, his will stronger than ever. "Kaabi and Rick fix this! We will!"

"Oh Kirby, you're so young and naïve that you don't know how bad all this actually is." The hamster rebutted as he stood up on his feet again, beginning to pace around in a futile attempt to get rid of his nervous energy. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to where he was going, because after stepping onto a particularly soft spot of the hill's soil, he quite literally fell into trouble.

"UWAAAAGH!" Rick shouted as the wet ground collapsed underneath him, immediately swallowing him up.

Kirby wasted no time and dove in after him, umbrella still in hand. This allowed him to gently float to the bottom of the hole, which he realized was actually a chamber of sorts upon landing. Rick's descent hadn't been so pleasant, as he was lying on the cold ground and groaning in pain a few feet away.

"That...that really hurt!" He exclaimed, standing up and dusting the dirt off his fur. "Well, it could have been a lot worse. I could have hit my head at the end of that fall."

The two began investigating the narrow hallway of the isolated chamber with growing caution. The only sources of light were from the hole they had fallen through, and a curious multi-colored glow in the darkness ahead of them. Common sense would state they stay away from the mysterious light, it could be another demon beast or some other violent creature trying to lure them in, but they found themselves approaching it as if being called. Kirby and Rick didn't stop until they were directly below the strange light; it was filtering in from above through a few hairline cracks in the ceiling.

"Hey, Kirby. Can you climb up on my back? I've got an idea." The hamster suggested, gaze fixed on the colorful rays peeking into the chamber. The pink puffball did as he was asked, but was already a step ahead of him. "Now take that umbrella and- Good! You knew what I was going to say all along, huh?"

Kirby whacked at the section of ceiling with the end of the umbrella, and it wasn't long until it crumbled away, revealing a hidden panel that could easily be climbed into. The light grew even stronger than before, and instead of filling them with a sense of uncertainty or fear like before, it gave the duo a feeling of peace, tranquility and even excitement.

 **(** _Rainbow Drop Chamber - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

At the end of this new room stood a pedestal, and resting upon it was the source of the odd light: an oval-shaped stone that sparkled and shone with the seven colors of the rainbow.

They felt their breath being taken away at witnessing the extraordinary treasure.

"It's...it's probably the prettiest thing I've seen in all my life!" Rick gasped in amazement, taking a step closer and almost reached out to touch it. "Wow, this stone, it almost looks like a-"

"Rainbow Drop!" Kirby shouted, instantly recognizing the artifact.

"I don't believe it...that old fairytale is actually true!" The other marveled, shaking his head in disbelief. "Oh, wow! WOW! We've stumbled on a piece of lost history! A legend! I guess all that rain loosened up the ground that was hiding this place and we happened to show up at just the right time! What are the odds?!"

The young Star Warrior gave another loud cheer before extending his paws towards the Rainbow Drop. Rick stopped his celebratory dance at the right moment to yank him away from the mystical object, his expression of joy fading and then being replaced with a more serious one.

"Kirby, what are you doing?! It we take it, a trap may go off or something! If you remember, the legend said the Rainbow Drops were sealed away, and probably not without a good reason! It could have bad juju attached to it, for all we know! So let's leave it alone, okay?"

He stared up at Rick with a small frown, then turned his attention back to the pedestal. Kirby knew Rick was just trying to watch over him and keep him safe, but he thought the hamster was acting somewhat ridiculous. Being eternally cursed for merely touching the beautiful stone? It was silly. And the legend also stated that once all the Rainbow Drops were gathered, the Rainbow Sword would reveal itself. The stones were originally part of the sword, right? Then they probably _wanted_ to be back together; that was Kirby's logic.

So, without any warning whatsoever, he snatched the Rainbow Drop off the pedestal with one sweep of his paw.

When the stone began to glow even brighter, Rick started to panic. He reached out to shield the child with his own body to protect him from whatever trouble was about to come their way, but instead, the darkness present was entirely banished with the newfound light of the Rainbow Drop.

He waited several moments, but nothing else happened. All was calm.

"That...that was almost too close. My life flashed before my eyes for the second time today." He let out a sigh of relief, then chuckled nervously. "I guess there really was no harm in taking it after all. Look at this place now, it looks like it might have been part of a castle at one point in the past."

They exited the secret room the same way they came in, the now illuminated chamber much easier to traverse. At reaching the end of the hallway, they found another exit that lead to the surface world. Kirby clung to Rick's back again, and the hamster was able to climb their way up.

Once they were back on the surface, the two took a moment to sit down and took another glance at the shattered Rainbow Bridge over the expanse of hills. The thrill of finding a Rainbow Drop was lessened knowing that this was what had become of another valuable piece of their country's history. Still, there was something Kirby wanted to try. It was a longshot, but just maybe...

"Huh...? You want to go over there?" Rick asked, looking at Kirby's outstretched paw pointing at the remains of the bridge. "Why? There's no way to get across. The water between Grass Land and Big Forest is still too far for us to swim, and you can't fly that far, can you?"

"...Wanna fix it."

"You're not gonna give up on this, are you?" He sighed in defeat. "Alright. We'll go see it for ourselves and check the damages, as depressing as I know it'll be. And who knows? Maybe our lucky streak will keep going strong and a boat will see us stranded here."

* * *

 **(** _Afternoon Market - Tomodachi Life_ **)**

"Eeeh... I dunno if this is such a good idea..." Tago hummed with a frown, taking another glance behind him at his dilapidated grocery store.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but what have you got to lose?" Fumu attempted to persuade him, gesturing to his ruined establishment and then to the quivering with nerves Gooey. "He really does feel guilty about causing so much trouble for the village. He's trying to make amends, but he can't do that if nobody's willing to give him a chance!"

Fumu, Bun, and the two castle squires had paraded the timid blue blob around all day, trying to find someone that would accept his offers of help. Everywhere they went, they were vehemently turned down. Mayor Len continuously fed them increasingly outlandish excuses, Professor Curio started crying while softly begging 'no', Kawasaki chased him away with a broom, and they already knew better than to ask Benjamin.

Though the townsfolk had lost their mob mentality, it seemed they still held resentment towards Gooey and doubted how useful his continued presence in the village would be. Rather than allow him to redeem himself, they insisted on rebuilding the town themselves, even though if all went according to Fumu's estimations, repairs would go two or three, perhaps even four times as quickly with his assistance.

They had approached almost half of the village's population so far, and what little confidence Gooey had accumulated was slipping away with each rejection. That's why Fumu _had_ to convince Tago that he was the answer to their dilemma, for both the blob's sake and the village's, and whether the rest of the townsfolk liked it or not.

"Fumu, I know that you mean well, but do you honestly expect me to trust the very thing that made my store into this mess to help me find some new stock?" The grocery store owner argued, tugging at his apron. "Isn't there anyone else you could go to? I'm sure there are a lot of other people here that could use some help right about now."

The children and the squires sighed; it was clear Tago wasn't budging from his judgment. He didn't want the blob anywhere near him either, and he not too discreetly just tried to push him onto someone else. Fumu wanted to scream in frustration at the town's uncooperativeness, but a soft sniffle next to her pushed all other thoughts from her mind.

 **(** _Death Trap - SpongeBob SquarePants_ **)**

"Uweeeh..." Gooey let out a whine, reverting back to his undecipherable sound-based language. He shivered in place as his large round eyes began to well up with tears. His shaking increased to the point where he looked like a rocket about to take off; he was more or less vibrating. And it all took place within the duration of a few seconds.

"N-No, no no no no no! Don't do that, now!" Tago cried out in alarm, but this only made the blue blob react even more strongly as he began to emit an almost drone-like wail. "Stars above, what's happening to him?!"

"We don't know, this is new!" Bun shouted, just as terrified.

"I think you hurt his feelings!" Fumu guessed loudly, holding her head when Gooey's cries began to shift between frequencies.

"See, now look at what you've done! You just _had_ to keep pushing him!" Sword hissed, doubled over in pain. "Now he's probably going to explode or something!"

" _ **Can he actually do that?!**_ " The merchant exclaimed with horror.

"No, he's not going to explode!" Blade clarified before sending his brother a weak glare.

"At least, you think he won't." His brother continued. "We still don't know what he's capable of, so technically, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility-"

" _ **AAAAAGH!**_ Alright, you can help if that's what this is about!" Tago screamed, finally conceding to their earlier request, not out of guilt for upsetting Gooey, but out of fear for what the blue blob might do. "I need apples, specifically Whispy Woods' apples. It isn't picking season yet, so most of the other trees in the forest haven't bore fruit."

Gooey's mournful sounds then died down significantly, but he still let out a few hiccups before settling down completely. Tago let out a sigh of anguish and relief; even if the blob turned out to be of no help, at least the trip would get rid of him for a short while, he thought.

"Thank you so much!" Fumu replied in a false chipper tone, knowing fully well that dreadful episode could have been avoided if he and some of the townsfolk had not been so overtly cruel and dismissive towards Gooey.

"Ah, yes..." The grocery store owner picked up on her tone, but wisely decided against saying anything about it. "You can bring the apples by later this evening, and if you happen to find anything else edible growing in there, then that would be nice too."

 **(** _Apple Woods - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

Whispy Woods and the citizens of Cappy Village had managed to come to an agreement some time ago. In exchange for the townsfolk doing everything in their power to conserve the forest, Whispy gave them permission to occasionally harvest the apples and other wild crops that grew there as long as they only took what was needed and left enough for the local wildlife. Fumu acted as the official spokesperson, and was even there as a witness when Mayor Len and the great tree sealed the deal. They felt no need for legal binding documents, as each other's word was enough for both parties. King Dedede, of course, knows nothing of this. If it were up to him, he would have cut down the entire forest and turned the land into a giant golf course again.

So, after gathering up some baskets and the largest backpacks they had available, the group made their way into the twisting maze of nature that was Whispy Woods' Forest. Fumu, Bun, Sword and Blade had taken turns offering Gooey their sympathy and words of comfort while the packed for the trip, but he seemed much more at ease now that he was within the dim expanse of trees. He had adjusted to the daylight hours much swifter than expected, however, it appeared he still possessed a certain fondness for the dark.

"Where us goin'?" He asked, having grown comfortable enough to talk.

"To see Whispy Woods. He's the one who protects this forest." Fumu answered. "Do you know who that is? Have you met him?"

Gooey pondered her question for a moment before shaking what constituted as his head.

"He's a talking tree that doesn't look much different from the rest of the trees here until he shows his face." She explained. "The apples that grow on his branches are special because they grow all year around and don't spoil the same way normal apples do."

"You can pick one and a year later it'll still taste fresh!" Bun added, a jump now present in his step. "And they're huge too, so you can make a lot with just a few! Remember all the pies mom made for my birthday, sis? It took us three weeks to finish eating them all!"

"Bun, let's not talk about all the dishes that can be made out of apples, please." Fumu warned, lightly gesturing to the drooling Gooey. "We need to get everything back to Tago without any chunks bitten out of them."

"Oh, right. Sorry." He sheepishly apologized.

"Sword, Blade, thank you for coming along with us to help, even though you didn't really have to." The blonde addressed them as they made their way through the labyrinth of trees.

"Nonsense, we're glad to offer our assistance whenever possible, and Sir Meta Knight did suggest that we act as your personal guards for the time being." Blade answered.

"But he didn't say anything about you guys running errands and picking apples for us, did he?" Bun remarked, shaking the woven basket in his hand for emphasis.

"Do you two really think we're low enough that we'll just stand around while you three work hard to help the village?" Sword asked, sounding slightly offended. "It doesn't matter if we're protecting you from danger, talking down some of the townspeople being difficult, or even running around doing community service, you guys are stuck with us."

"No, it's not like that at all." Fumu quickly corrected him. "We're happy to have you with us, even if nothing else comes to attack. It's...nice. It feels a little less lonely this way."

 _"...We're so sorry, Fumu."_ The two squires thought to themselves.

It wasn't long until they reached the clearing where Whispy Woods resided. The sunlight streaming through the trees fell on the small field of flowers that grew there, and the smell of spring and earth was abundant here. As they stepped closer to the great tree, he began to wake from what must have been a long nap.

"Children...it's been a while since I saw you last." He rumbled in his deep voice as he sleepily stretched his roots. "How are things in the village?"

"Not good." Fumu answered before elaborating.

"I see...that's unfortunate." He frowned as he began to shake the apples onto the ground for them. "Take as many as you need. I apologize that Cappy Village is going through such misfortune. And Kirby too... that poor child did nothing to deserve such a thing."

"I know. But I'm trying to stay positive and believe that he'll come back to us like he always does." The blonde replied with a faint smile. "We can't lose hope for him that quickly."

"And who is this?" Whispy Woods asked, noticing Gooey now that he had stepped out from behind them to retrieve a few of the fallen apples. "I think I've seen you in this forest before. Yes, I believe it was only a few nights ago. I wanted to speak with you, but you ran away."

Whispy Woods plucked one of the apples off his branches with a smile and offered it to the blue blob. "The creatures of the forest told me of a ravenous child roaming the countryside. At first, I assumed it to be Kirby, but it was you all along, wasn't it?"

Gooey hesitantly took it from his grasp. He grinned and stuffed the whole fruit into his mouth, swallowing it with a satisfied gulp. "Tankyu!"

"Actually, there is something else that's troubling me, this news about Kirby." The tree frowned before continuing. "You said there was no guarantee where he may be in this galaxy. If by chance he is still on Pop Star, then I fear what would happen should he run into one of my relatives."

"Relatives?" Fumu said quizzically.

"How does a tree have an extended family?" Bun whispered to the squires, who shrugged in response.

"The Woods family stretches outward far more than those planted here. All over Pop Star, no, even some of the planets and stars in the Gamble Galaxy, my brothers are rooted. Like myself once, they are territorial and do not take kindly to outsiders trespassing on their land. Many of them have power at a much greater level than mine. I would hate for a fight to surface over something as small as being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Do you really think that would happen, Whispy?" Bun asked.

"Undoubtedly. My brethren are stubborn and refuse to listen unless they are persuaded by force. This line of thinking has gotten many of them into trouble in the past."

The group of five finished harvesting all the apples the great tree provided. With some foraging and guidance from Gooey, they found apricots, plums, berries and mushrooms that they would have missed otherwise if not for his keen eyesight. The blue blob also found a small patch of wild pineapples and shoved one into his mouth before anyone could stop him. He quickly regretted this decision and spit it out with a startled yelp.

It wasn't long until everyone's baskets and backpacks were filled with produce. Like Fumu had expected, this task was completed a lot sooner with Gooey's help than they would have without. Aside from eating a sample of everything new they found, the blob had refrained from devouring what they had gathered. In a little over an hour, it was time to bid Whispy Woods farewell and return to the village.

 **(** _Kakariko Village - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_ **)**

To say Tago was impressed when they came back was an understatement. He almost wept with joy over the amount of food they had brought. When told that it was actually Gooey that had scavenged almost everything aside from Whispy's apples, he felt a surge of guilt and appreciation for him. Yes, Gooey had definitely started the problem in the first place, but the owner of the grocery store could now understand that everything he had done wasn't out of malice, and that he was making steps to correct his mistakes.

"I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to stay angry with a child that really didn't know any better." He apologized once he had finished taking inventory of their findings. "I really am grateful for his help, and I'll try my best to put in a good word for Gooey to the rest of the town."

"You would really do that, Tago?!" Fumu gasped with excitement.

"It's the least I can do after how I acted earlier. The sooner we all learn to let go of our hard feelings for him, the better. Cappy Village can't go on like this."

Suddenly, Gooey began to vibrate intensely just like before, only now he had a large beaming grin on his face. He started to squeal too, but the noises were agreeably much more pleasant on everyone's hearing this time.

"Wh-Wha?! What's wrong now?!" The Cappy shouted, wondering if he was to blame again.

"It's okay, I think he's just really happy." Fumu answered, watching the blob shake his way across the paved road and closer to Tago.

"Here, you're going to need this." Sword took a towel out from the bottom of his backpack and handed it to the merchant.

"What? Why?"

 _Sluuuuuuuuuuuurp..._

* * *

The sun was just beginning its descent over the horizon when Kirby and Rick had almost reached the edge of Grass Land, as well as the site of the remains of the Rainbow Bridge. They only needed to go over a few more hills and they would be there. The area they were traveling now was mostly flat compared to what they had trekked over for most of their stay here.

"Whatcha got there, little guy?" Rick asked when he noticed a round object in the pink puffball's paws that wasn't there before.

Kirby showed him the round object, which the hamster quickly recognized as an apple. Seeing him with the fruit wouldn't have been too jarring, except he had no idea where Kirby could have gotten it. Not only that, but it was rather large for a regular apple, and had a glossy sheen that almost seemed familiar...

Rick's eyes went wide as he came to a sudden realization.

"Kirby...where did you get that apple?"

The young Star Warrior pointed directly ahead and towards a lone tree that seemed innocuous enough, except the hamster knew better. He had ventured around the island many times before, so he knew exactly what that tree actually was. There was no alternate route in sight, so it looked like they would have to sneak past the sleeping tree.

 **(** _Sinister Woods - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team_ **)**

He urged Kirby to be quiet, then they slowly tip-toed around the tree. They would have gotten away without notice, if only the pink puffball hadn't accidentally stepped on a root. With a shout, the tree's face suddenly materialized on its trunk, revealing a long and pointy nose, round and swirly glasses resting in front of dark oval-shaped eyes, and a surgeon's mask.

"Who dares to step on my roots?!" The tree bellowed angrily.

"W-Whispy?!" Kirby cried in surprise and alarm, wondering how the great tree of the village's forest had found his way here.

"No, that's not Whispy Woods, Kirby. This is Whispy Woods." Rick attempted to explain.

"Huh?"

"It's like the Nurse Joy situation from Pokémon."

"Oh."

"Enough! Why have you trespassed onto my territory and were so rude as to step on my roots? Even more heinous, you have taken one of my apples without permission! That makes you a thief!" Whispy Woods shook with anger, though it was difficult to take his ramblings seriously when he was wearing that silly getup.

"Kirby, let me handle this." The hamster whispered. "This Whispy is a real tough customer, but maybe I can smooth things over since he's seen me before."

"We're sorry about stepping on your roots, and we didn't mean to trespass, really! We're just trying to get to Big Forest, but the Rainbow Bridge is out of order, and-"

"The Rainbow Bridge! It was just fine before you two arrived! You're in league with the dark one that was seen earlier, aren't you?!" He accused wildly, ignoring Rick's words entirely. "That king...the King of Dream Land. He came here and brought our beautiful bridge to ruin...! You are Dream Landers as well, therefore, you must be eliminated!"

Rick was beginning to panic. This wasn't like Whispy at all, even when the tree was at his worst. He had never gone to such extreme measures to chase off a passerby before. It was just for a second, a split second even, but he could have sworn there was a dark aura around the tree as he ranted and raved before attacking them.

 **(** _It's Boss Time! - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

 **BOSS BATTLE - Grass Land's Arboreal Protector, Whispy Woods!**

Several of Whispy Woods' roots shot up from the ground. The hamster grabbed Kirby and repeatedly leaped into the air to dodge them. On landing, he made a point to step on one to weaken the mad tree. The tree howled in pain and shook with anger, his apples beginning to fall around them.

He chucked the fruit at them forcefully with his roots, one narrowly missing Rick and knocking the pink puffball off of his back. By hurting Kirby, even if the damage wasn't at all serious, Whispy Woods had ignited a rage point within Rick that he himself didn't know even existed. He took the umbrella he was holding and smacked one of the apples flying his way like a baseball, sending it hurtling back into Whispy's face. The force of the impact was enough to knock those ridiculous-looking glasses and mask off his face.

Now that his mouth was free, Whispy Woods sent strong puffs of wind their way with his breath. Just when Kirby was getting up, one gust had hit him and nearly sent him flying. The hamster caught him, but sent the puffball a stern look in response.

"Kirby, I need you to get your act together and start helping me!" Rick scolded as he continued to evade the enemy's attacks. "I know he isn't a demon beast and you don't want to hurt him, but he's actually trying to hurt us, here!"

Kirby frowned, but swiftly snapped to attention. He climbed onto his back again and took the umbrella from his grasp, using it as a shield to protect both of them when Whispy sent his puffs of air their way. The two frequently switched the umbrella back and forth, volleying the apples at Whispy Woods. Finally, Rick ran forward and launched the young Star Warrior so he could deliver the finishing blow.

Whispy Woods was now too exhausted to fight back. It almost went unnoticed, but a pitch black cloud of smoke left him as he tried to regain his strength. He no longer felt the same sense of anger as he did previously.

"What...what happened?"

"I don't know. You went nuts and lobbed us with apples." Rick responded, tapping his foot.

"I did? But I don't know why I would? You two didn't do anything wrong. It's just...when I saw the Rainbow Bridge, a sense of hopelessness washed over me. Then all I could think about was finding a way to take that feeling out on something else."

"While you were crazy, you mentioned a king. Did he happen to have a beak and wear a robe?"

"So you do know him." The tree replied in a neutral tone. "Yes, he came by only hours ago and shattered the bridge into pieces with a hammer. If you plan to give chase, then he fled in the direction of Big Forest. I don't know how you'll get there without the bridge, but I am willing to bet he plans to do the same to the other Rainbow Bridges if he hasn't already."

"Of all the low down things for Dedede to do, possessed or not." Rick shook his head in disgust.

"No, Dede din do!" Kirby loudly protested. "Not his fall!"

"You're still defending him, even though I'm sure this is still his fault somehow? Kirby, has anyone ever told you you're too forgiving?" He sighed. "Never mind, let's just try to get to what's left of the Rainbow Bridge before night falls."

They bid goodbye to this Whispy Woods with no hard feelings, already knowing that something more sinister was at work here. By the time they reached the shores of Grass Land, dusk was upon them, the twinkling of a few stars speckled in the evening sky now visible. The colorless fragments of the bridge were either scattered along the shore, half-sunk in the shallow water, or completely submerged in the ocean.

"Well, here we are, kiddo." The hamster sighed again, taking a seat on a rock. "I don't see any ships out there, so do you have some sort of plan for how we're supposed to cross the sea?"

Kirby hummed to himself in thought, pondering over whether his idea would even be worth trying. But if he didn't make any attempt at all, then he would never know, would he?

 **(** _Rainbow Islands - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

He took out the Rainbow Drop they had found, then stepped forward. He held it up to the light that remained and watched as it glowed with the seven colors of the rainbow. Then, the fallen pieces of bridge began to glow as well, slowly being lifted into the space above them. The debris that had sunk to the bottom of the sea rose to join them, and all the broken mass merged together now painted in the same colors as the stone.

Grass Land's Rainbow Bridge had been restored to its former glory.

"Kirby!" Rick gasped, running over to the pink puffball, picking him up and spinning him around. "You-You fixed it! You actually fixed it! You said you were going to, and you did! How did you know that would work?"

The young Star Warrior could only shrug; he didn't know how effective it would be, but he was glad he tried.

"This is great! Now we can get to Big Forest and catch that boat tomorrow!" He exclaimed, setting Kirby on the ground. "But first, maybe we should wait until the sun rises and set up camp here tonight."

Rick did as promised, finding a place nearby for them to stay. He took care of him just as well as he had done all day, finding him food and keeping his spirits high. He kept him entertained by telling him stories by the fire and promises that he would get him back to his friends in Dream Land. And, after a peaceful sleep and a good breakfast, the two were ready to depart for Big Forest that following morning.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** At long last, we've finally reached the first Rainbow Island in the arc: Grass Land. Out of all the places Kirby's new enemy could have sent him, that portal ended up randomly dropping him off just across the shores of his home. What are the odds? Not that Kirby's friends know this yet. Anyway, this arc is supposed to allow Kirby to show some independence from Fumu and others while he forges bonds with the Animal Friends Rick the Hamster, Coo the Owl, and Kine the Ocean Sunfish. In the game, they're met when Kirby finds one of them taken hostage by the stage's miniboss. The pot of soup was just a silly bonus I added.

Efreeti being a demon beast actually isn't too farfetched a decision for this story. In the pilot episode that would later become Kirby of the Stars/Kirby Right Back At Ya!, among the enemies Kirby faces in the short, Efreeti is one of them! So I thought I would reference that and make Efreeti one of the rogue demon beasts that Meta Knight mentioned in Chapter 4. How it ended up on Grass Land is anyone's guess, though...

While Kirby is on his adventure, Gooey is going through his own character arc, helping rebuild Cappy Village and earning the townspeople's trust. Now, the townsfolk being upset over the destruction around them is entirely understandable, and so is being somewhat suspicious of the one that caused it all in the first place. However, some of them were being kind of mean to Gooey, which isn't so fine. This part of the story is where he gets to shine, showing how useful he can be as he learns the dos and don'ts of village life. It'll be tough, but Gooey is set on making things right and finding a place for himself in Cappy Village. It's a good thing they didn't start with Benjamin first, though!

And I do admit, I tried to drag out the Whispy Woods fight as long as I could, but it was hard. He's a World 1 boss from a Gameboy/Gameboy Color era game. He only has three attacks on rotation. I tried, readers. I feel like the fight against Efreeti was more exciting in comparison, but I did make the attempt of spicing things up by giving him a fancy title. Not every fight in this series can be epic, folks. But look on the bright side, Kirby rode a hamster into battle like a warhorse with an umbrella as a weapon! Hamster jousting!

And yes, for those of you that have read the BETA, I just couldn't leave the 'That's not Whispy Woods. This is Whispy Woods' out of the story. It feels like it just wouldn't be After Story without it. A bit of backstory on this gag: a few years ago back when I was in middle school, there was a show that came on Cartoon Network called 'Chowder' by C.H. Greenblatt, a.k.a the guy that worked on SpongeBob SquarePants. There was one episode where a family of trees invades the main characters' kitchen, and at first there was just one named Arbor. Then his wife shows up, and her name is Arbora, along their child, Arbor Jr. His cousin shows up, who is also named Arbor, and his wife, also Arbora, and of course their child is there, also Arbor Jr. And then even more relatives showed up, and all with the same names! It was an overly long gag, but I thought it was hilarious the first time I saw it. So anyway, that's it. That's the origin story of the joke.

On a more productive note, I will say that choosing music for this chapter wasn't as time consuming as usual, since multiple parts of this story already have soundtracks in-game. Still, there were a few spots where I struggled to find fitting tracks for certain situations. Hopefully nothing is too repetitive or sounds out of place. Next chapter, Kirby and Rick continue their adventure in Big Forest and meet another friend to aid them on their epic quest!


	7. Big Forest

Chapter 7 - Big Forest

 **(** _World 2: Big Forest - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

The island of Big Forest was exactly as its name implied; a vast landscape abundant with trees of every size. Every few steps there was another tree on their path, and if not that, then a stump where one once stood. Some of them were so tall, one would think they could almost reach the cloudy regions that lied above. Rick was right in his decision to wait until morning before resuming travel; the dense terrain would have been impossible to navigate in the gloom of night.

Unlike Grass Land, the general populace here felt much less approachable. It seemed to them the locals were unused to seeing strangers and felt more cautious than curious judging by their stares. Even the normally friendly Waddle Dees roaming about appeared uneasy. However, after learning Kirby and Rick meant no harm and were merely passing through, their tension had dropped down significantly. Although a short time later, the two then discovered precisely why they were receiving such a lukewarm reception from the people of Big Forest.

 **(** _Delfino Airstrip - Super Mario Sunshine_ **)**

The two wandered around a bit at the docks while waiting for their boat when they overheard some fishing Cappies settled in a nearby village discussing the recent events happening on the islands. Just like in Grass Land, the Rainbow Bridges connecting the rest of the islands had been destroyed by the possessed King Dedede. Because of this, everyone had become restless. To do such an unspeakable act was almost certainly a declaration of war against the islands. Even more troubling was that the king had visited only a few days prior and established relations between Dream Land and the archipelago to purchase property in Iceberg, yet he cruelly demolished the Rainbow Islands' cherished symbols of tranquility and goodwill.

But the Rainbow Islanders weren't aware that King Dedede was not in control of his own actions. Certainly Kirby and Rick could have told them this, yes, but it was highly unlikely that their claims would be taken seriously. The Rainbow Islands were located quite a ways away from the rest of Dream Land and Cappy Village, and consequently, the frequent demon beast attacks the townspeople had grown so accustomed to until only half a year ago. The Rainbow Islanders weren't familiar with the special brands of chaos Cappy Village experienced, and therefore would never allow such an (from their perspective) outlandish explanation excuse the king's actions.

Now Kirby and Rick were faced with yet another dilemma: deciding on what to do from here. The hamster had promised he would get the puffball home safely. However, the young Star Warrior did not want to leave just yet. Rick argued that they could come back on the next boat in a few days after he reunited him with his friends back home, who were guaranteed to be worried sick over him right now, but Kirby simply couldn't do that.

It was true he missed his friends now more than ever, but as a Star Warrior and a person, he just didn't feel right about abandoning the Rainbow Islanders to handle their problem alone when part of their solution was quite literally in his hands. Fumu and Bun had Sword, Blade and Sir Meta Knight to protect them from harm, but the Rainbow Islanders had no one. In his mind and heart, staying to help them by restoring the Rainbow Bridges was the right thing to do.

Unfortunately, his companion didn't completely agree with his choice.

 **(** _Tomfoolery - SpongeBob SquarePants_ **)**

"Come on, Kirby! Stop being so difficult and get on the boat!" Rick groaned, dragging the kicking puffball backwards and across the boardwalk by his little pink nubs. "If I don't get you back to Cappy Village at the first opportunity available, then Fumu will make hamster-chops out of me the next time she sees me!"

What Rick didn't know was that the young Star Warrior wouldn't be putting up nowhere near as much of a fuss if he would just _listen_. Rather than hear Kirby's basis for wanting to stay, his furred friend had immediately begun pulling him towards the vessel that would take them to the mainland.

The hamster guessed his reason for not wanting to go was that he had become fascinated with the many new sights the Rainbow Islands had to offer and had merely become sidetracked. Kirby was a child prone to curiosity after all, and he chalked up his defiance as how most children would throw a tantrum when being denied something they wanted. Rick was only trying to be a responsible guardian and gently convince him to return home, but gentle convincing soon turned into an all-out battle of opposing viewpoints. When it became clear that he wasn't leaving without some other form of persuasion being necessary, Rick tried bargaining, begging, and finally brute force.

Their scuffle had gone on long enough that the fishing Cappies were beginning to grow concerned and wondered if they should interfere in case a kidnapping was in progress. Thankfully, they realized that wasn't what was going on, which would have meant more trouble for the hamster if they had come to that conclusion.

Finally, it seemed Rick realized his efforts were entirely futile. As small and close to weightless as he was, wrestling with Kirby was without a doubt the most stressful thing he had ever experienced. He released the puffball from his hold and almost wanted to collapse onto the docks and roll into the ocean out of exhaustion. Instead, he settled for lying down on the wooden boards until he regained his strength.

 _"Is this what I have to look forward to whenever I decide to settle down and have kids of my own?"_ He thought with a hint of dread, his chest still heaving.

"Okay...I give up." Rick wheezed in defeat. "But...why do you want to stay here now when you were trying so hard to get home before? Don't you miss Fumu and Bun and the rest of the village?"

 **(** _Hills of Radiant Wind - NieR Gestalt and Replicant_ _Piano Collections_ **)**

The tiny frown on Kirby's face asserted that he certainly did. However, it was soon replaced by an expression more resolute as he retrieved the Rainbow Drop they had found together yesterday. From here, they could see the remains of Big Forest's Rainbow Bridge in the distance just over the treetops. He let his gaze fall onto the oval stone and then back to Rick.

"Wanna help..." He answered at last. "Deese peepul...Kaabi wanna help dem, poyo."

Rick now felt guilty for ever assuming the child had anything less than selfless motivations for wishing to stay. The young Star Warrior was compassionate and attentive to the emotions of those around him, so of course he would want to do everything he possibly could to end the Rainbow Islanders' fear and prevent the suffering that would undoubtedly follow from the destruction of their bridges.

"Kirby...we know that repairing the bridges can be done and we even know how, but you have to remember that the guy who did this to them in the first place is still out there. There's nothing stopping whatever thing that's possessing Dedede from coming back and doing it all over again."

As much as Kirby disliked accepting this, Rick was indeed correct. Unless the Rainbow Drops gave them some sort of added protection they didn't know about, there was absolutely no reason why the vile creature couldn't repeat the process and demolish the bridges as many times as it pleased. In his haste to aid these troubled islanders, he hadn't thought that far ahead.

The boat's horn abruptly sounded off with a loud blare, a last call for any would-be passengers that haven't yet boarded. This would probably be their last opportunity to leave the Rainbow Islands for a while, and the Cappy at the helm looked like he didn't have all day to be waiting on a pair of indecisive laggards.

"It'll leave without us if we don't hurry." The hamster warned. "Are you absolutely sure about this? I mean, wouldn't going back to rest up and maybe get some help be more sensible in the long run? Not to mention safer?"

Kirby quickly refused this idea with a few shakes of his head. Though no words were shared between the two about it, both Rick and the puffball knew that something peculiar had to have happened to Whispy Woods to cause him to act out in such a violent way. Regardless of whether he was territorial or not, the tree had rambled like a madman during the entire encounter. There was also that troublingly mysterious fume of black smog that rose from him afterwards to consider.

Additionally, the aftermath of their run-in with Whispy Woods and overhearing the gossiping Cappies had given the young Star Warrior three valuable pieces of information. One was that King Dedede had been to the other islands, since the bridges would not be in their current pitiful state otherwise. The next being that all of them had been shattered during the same timeframe of yesterday afternoon, apparently while Kirby was still unconscious. However, according to the settlers, King Dedede was frequently sighted across the island just early this morning.

Why he was soaring the skies of the islands when his forced deeds already seemed to have been completed didn't matter to Kirby in the slightest, he didn't stop to question it for even a second, because in that pocket of knowledge he obtained lied a small hope that the puppet king was still somewhere in Big Forest.

By staying, he could fix the Rainbow Bridges and prevent any future collapses by finding King Dedede and defeating the evil dwelling within him. If the king of Dream Land was here, then heading for home would be like turning his back on him. No matter what happened between them in the past, to do so would be no different to Kirby than sentencing the innocent Rainbow Islanders to their undeserved fates. If he left now, he might miss a precious window of opportunity to save him, so he was going to defend his decision with all that he had.

"There really is nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?" Rick gave him a weary look. "Fine, I won't force you to go, and if I'm being honest here, I don't think I _can_."

The hamster walked closer to the boat and Kirby was preparing to bid him farewell, knowing that Rick didn't intend to accompany him on this adventure any longer. He couldn't place blame on the hamster for wanting to return to the mainland where it was almost guaranteed to be safer. Something sinister was rising on the Rainbow Islands, and he was not obligated to follow the young Star Warrior into danger. Nevertheless, the thought of having to separate from him and travel alone again made Kirby's heart drop into his stomach.

But instead, Rick approached the captain and told him to press onward without him. The Cappy sent Rick an exasperated glare before the ship took off, clearly agitated with him for wasting his and the other passengers' time. For a while, neither the hamster nor the puffball spoke. They only watched the waterbound vessel get further and further away from them until it was just a speck on the horizon.

"As good of an idea as I thought going home was, I can't do it. Not with you still here, Kirby." Rick was the first to say something. "I know that you've fought all kinds of demon beasts before now and always came out more or less okay, but I can't go back to our Whispy Woods or Acore or any of our other friends in good conscience knowing you're doing your best right here despite everything else. So what I'm trying to say is, I'm sticking with you all the way, buddy. ...And not just because I know Fumu would kick my butt if I didn't."

"Rick! Tankyu!" Kirby shouted gratefully, throwing his nubby arms around the hamster's waist. "Tankyu, tankyu, tankyu! We do dis togeteur!"

"Yeah, we're in this together. No matter what else is going to come our way." He agreed, returning the gesture. "You know, we're going to have a lot to explain for ourselves when this is over. But we can worry about that later. For now, let's get to that Rainbow Bridge and freak out the locals when they see it's all in one piece again."

* * *

The first thing Fumu did that morning upon waking was look for Meta Knight. She put aside breakfast and only took the time to get dressed and brush her teeth before tracking him down. The masked Star Warrior began his search for Kirby using what he let remain of the delivery system immediately after the children and his squires left the castle grounds yesterday. He sent out a message to other Galaxy Soldiers still affiliated with the GSA and had been communicating with them back and forth since then. That room was exactly where she found him shortly after leaving her family's living quarters.

 **(** _Shianchuu - Bakemonogatari_ **)**

Meta Knight was sitting in the king's throne, tapping away at the keyboard attached with his eyes unwaveringly focused on the screen overhead. He didn't even show any acknowledgement towards the girl approaching him, quietly muttering under his breath as he pushed a few buttons with a little more force than necessary. To those who weren't as well acquainted with the knight it would have been impossible to notice, but Fumu could tell he was growing frustrated.

"Are you having any luck?" She asked softly, as if she didn't already know the obvious answer.

"No." He responded, not even turning her way. "I've requested the assistance of soldiers from twelve different stars and planets, but no one has managed to detect even a possible trace of him so far."

"Have you...have you been here all night?"

"I can't see why that would matter." He quipped, confirming her suspicion that he hadn't left the throne room once since entering yesterday afternoon.

For as long as she had known the knight and as many times as she had become irate with him for his aloofness and perceived coldness, she had never seen him quite like this and was admittedly beginning to become concerned. While most would believe that Meta Knight was only keeping the future of Dream Land and the Gamble Galaxy in mind in his efforts to find the missing young hero, Fumu has long since wondered if the pink puffball was actually important to him for reasons other than that. His long absence after Nightmare's defeat certainly appeared to suggest the former to be true rather than the latter...

She was usually too busy fussing over Kirby's wellbeing to notice, but with him lost among the cosmos for the time being it now seemed to her that the veteran Star Warrior was outright neglecting himself for his sake. Had Meta Knight even stopped long enough to eat something, no matter how small it may have been? Then again, she was a fine one to talk seeing as she had skipped out on breakfast. But she did eat dinner last night and was going to prepare healthy lunches for after she and her companions helped the villagers again today. The girl couldn't find a single sign that he had been caring for his own appetite at all.

"If you are looking for Sword and Blade, they left for the village earlier along with Gooey." He said after noticing Fumu was still there, snapping the blonde out of her thoughts in the process. "Number thirteen..."

He whispered the number to himself as a certain planet popped up on the screen, the words 'Shiver Star' underneath its image. Meta Knight was by no means superstitious, but he had a gut feeling that this call would end in him being put on standby just like the rest. However, out of all the stars and planets Kirby could have been dropped on, he sincerely hoped it wasn't _that one_.

Fumu waited for a minute longer, but it became apparent that he had no more words to spare for her. The knight was completely consumed in his work, and though she was a bit miffed that he was actively shutting her out of his endeavors, she also knew that he was doing his best to locate Kirby and bring him home. Only someone as dedicated to his duties as Meta Knight could have successfully pulled off a search party of this magnitude, and for that, she was thankful for him.

 _"Thank you, Sir Meta Knight, for everything that you do...and take care of yourself."_ She thought to herself as she left the room, not saying it aloud in case it would distract him from the important conversation taking place. Even if she had, the blonde doubted he would have heard her.

Yes, Sir Meta Knight, veteran Star Warrior of the Galaxy Soldier Army was many things in her eyes. He was standoffish, innocently insensitive, and unintentionally rude at times. He may not care any more for Kirby outside of his destiny as a fellow Star Warrior and defender of the galaxy, and she could be angry with him over this if it was true at a later date, but right now she felt as though he were one of her few rays of hope left in this increasingly bleak situation. No matter his underlying motives, Meta Knight was always there for them when he was needed most.

So she didn't allow herself to doubt that he was here alone in this darkened room with only a dimly lit monitor for company for that exact reason.

* * *

 **(** _Clock Town (Second Day) - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D_ **)**

Cappy Village's citizens had gotten word of the Rainbow Bridges' destruction not much earlier, and they had become even more tense than they had been the past few days. They weren't up to the level of starting another frenzied mob thankfully, but with Kirby missing in action and only Meta Knight and his squires for protection, that was enough for several of the residents to worry. It certainly wasn't that they were skeptical of how effective the trio's provided security would be; most if not all of them believed the masked knight was more powerful than Kirby could ever hope to be by far.

No, their main concern was that as many times as they had witnessed the young Star Warrior take out demon beasts of every strength and size imaginable, apparently there was something out there that had finally caught up to him. Rumors of surviving demon beasts began to circulate more than ever, and now many of the inhabitants grew fearful for the beloved little puffball's safety.

Sword and Blade tried to keep what happened in the castle courtyard under wraps out of consideration for the townspeople's sanity. Everyone had been through enough as it was, and they didn't need added stress onto their already stockpiling list of concerns. However, it wasn't long until several of them began to notice that the pink puffball's presence they had grown so accustomed to had been strangely lacking for the day. With Fumu and Bun dodging all inquiries relating to his absence, it was only natural that they would start to grow suspicious. However, they finally began putting two and two together when the ship from Big Forest had come and a few passengers stopped by to swap news.

None of them knew the entire story, but the citizens of Cappy Village were now aware of the Rainbow Bridges' fall to ruin, King Dedede being involved somehow, and Kirby no longer being in Dream Land or possibly even on Pop Star. As it just so happened, none of the boaters that sailed to the mainland had caught sight of Kirby in Big Forest earlier that morning, so none of them could pass along the one piece of information everyone wanted to know most at the moment.

With the townspeople's anxieties reaching an all new highpoint, it became extremely difficult to find someone that was willing to work alongside Gooey today. Though Tago had kept his word and did his best to convince his friends and neighbors otherwise, distrust still ran rampant among them. At least nobody tried to chase him away with a broom this time around.

Aside from regaining lost items and resources, the first task on everyone's agenda was to fix any houses or establishments that were damaged during the chaos. Those that were lucky only had to deal with a broken window or two, while the ones less fortunate had to rebuild the walls of their homes from scratch. Naturally, this required lumber. As much as it pained Fumu, she recognized that it was for the good of Cappy Village and wouldn't complain as long as everyone upheld their promise to leave Whispy Woods' Forest untouched.

The more muscular Cappies had been sent out to the outskirts of town to look for trees suitable for chopping down. Gus the mechanic was one of them, and with enough talking, Fumu, Bun, and the squires hoped they could wear him down enough to accept Gooey's help. As tough as he looked, he absolutely couldn't stand the sight of sad children and would easily give in to their demands. This was exactly why many agreed he shouldn't become a parent.

Surprisingly, Fumu and Bun ended up not having to do much at all, because Gooey had an impressive set of puppy dog eyes going for him. It was the trump card they didn't even know they had in deck. Gus crumbled in a matter of seconds when the blob's eyes started to grow big and watery despite everything in his mind telling him he would be making a massive mistake by agreeing to this.

"Eh, I guess I got no choice then." He grumbled, more to himself. "Even though everyone and everything is tellin' me this is a bad idea and this is only gonna end in tears, I'll give in just this once and let the little guy make an honest attempt to prove himself."

"Thank you, Gus!" Fumu had to restrain herself from cheering too loudly. "You'll see exactly how efficient and reliable of a worker he can really be! I promise!"

" _BUT-!_ " The mechanic said with a tone of warning. "If this whole thing goes to pot like everybody says it will, then I'm not covering for him. You'll be on your own with that."

"Yes, sir." The siblings agreed to his terms as the two quires behind them nodded uncertainly; even though Gus had said that with a great amount of reluctance since he didn't want to upset these children, Sword and Blade were all too aware of the consequences should Gooey fail at any point today.

The two were taking this assignment of integrating him into the village more personally than they probably should. Sword and Blade understood the sort of position he had been and was in, if Meta Knight's theory on the small blob was correct. When they first began studying under the veteran Star Warrior after abandoning their previous lives as bandits, distrust was thrown their way from all directions as well. The pair had to earn their right to be considered honorable squires in the eyes of the public, even when their lord wholeheartedly believed them to have redeemed themselves.

Sword and Blade wanted to extend the graciousness they had been shown onto Gooey. They wanted to affirm to everyone who doubted him that he wasn't the menace to society they believed he was. Unlike Sword and Blade, all of his misdeeds had been almost entirely accidental and without malice. They had knowingly robbed countless people during a time when it was difficult for nearly all to survive on that forsaken star, and all for the sake of their own sustenance. Meta Knight had long since forgiven them for their past crimes, but they still occasionally felt the guilt from what they have done seep its way into their thoughts.

To those two, if the masked knight could grant them mercy and a chance for a better life after their former dishonesty, then these villagers could do the same for a clueless and possibly abandoned child that had only acted as he did out of fear.

 **(** _Forest Area - Kirby's Adventure_ **)**

"Alright now, let's find the least dangerous job you can do." Gus said to Gooey, his eyes flickering over to the other workers as he thought aloud. "Chopping wood? Nope, no way are we trusting you with an axe. You don't even have anything to hold it with, except for that drooly tongue of yours."

Gooey then manifested a pair of large, uncannily humanlike hands just to contradict Gus, who visibly shuddered at the sight. For the sake of his nerves, he decided to ignore what he had witnessed altogether.

"Uh, nope. No, you could break that... Not that either." He mentally ran through the list of things their group needed to do. "Hmmm... I got it. After a tree's finished being chopped up, you kids can help load up the wood and take it to the ones that are in charge of gettin' it back to town. That's simple enough, right?"

Too simple was the description Fumu would have used. While it was definitely the task with the least amount of risk, she also knew it wouldn't allow Gooey to properly showcase what he was capable of. The blob was incredibly strong for his size and shape. He could easily take down a row of trees in the time it took them to chop down one, if that time a few nights ago when he knocked over several like a series of dominoes through pure clumsiness was any indication. Still, it was a start, and perhaps if he did well enough, they would allow him to move up the ladder and give him a more helpful job.

"Alright, since the kids are gathering the wood, you two can be in charge of chopping like the rest of us here." The Cappy handed Sword and Blade a pair of axes, weapons they had scarcely touched since their days of thievery. "You're always hanging around Sir Meta Knight and you've got swords, so you can handle this much, right?"

The squires nodded as if in a daze, taking the hafts in hand. It's been ages, but surely wielding these for their intended purpose wouldn't require falling back on their previous knowledge of how they once equipped an axe. Granted, they never were well experienced with their former weapons in the first place. The sole occasions they used them were when fending off lesser demon beasts and intimidating those they stole from. Felling trees was certainly easier than defeating demon beasts, right?

"This is boring." Sword deadpanned after only half an hour of working.

"Now, I admit this isn't the most exciting of ways to spend our time..." Blade paused to catch his breath before swinging against the trunk of the tree again. "But this is for the good of the village and Gooey. As squires, we have to accept there are some tasks that must be done for the benefit of others. No matter how unpleasant or mundane they may be..."

"So you agree that this is boring?"

"...Yes."

"We had to live this kind of mountain man lifestyle sometimes when we were traveling across the Gamble Galaxy with Sir Meta Knight. It was never like this then, so why is it as dull as the dirt under our feet now?"

"I don't know, Sword. But complaining about it until sundown won't make it any more enjoyable."

"Hey, is it just me, or is this tree a lot bigger than the others-"

"Quit your jabbering over there and put some _muscle_ into it!" A Cappy some distance away screamed, making the two mutter under their breath and throw more power into their swings.

Fumu, Bun, and Gooey quickly swept in whenever a group had lumber ready to be collected. It required a lot of running around out of them and it grew repetitive rather swiftly, but it was necessary as well as being the one job the Cappies all agreed on to be safe for everyone involved.

Except the blob had already been injured once and it hadn't even been an hour yet. He had materialized two nubby paws like Kirby's in order to properly pick up the lumber, but when he reached the limit of how much he could carry, he tried to use his tongue to lift the rest. Gooey ended up with splinters in his tongue, which Fumu and Bun had to help remove.

This led to them getting scolded for wasting fifteen minutes tending to his injuries when all of them could have been working. Gus came to their defense, thankfully, but it was now apparent that to the remainder of the Cappies, Gooey was on thin ice.

 **(** _Forever Broke - Cowboy Bebop_ **)**

 _"It's not fair to punish him for doing poorly at a job he's never done before."_ Fumu thought bitterly. _"Especially when nobody bothered to give him any explanation or warning on what could happen if he isn't careful with unprocessed wood. He didn't know he could get hurt!"_

He had only done so because he wanted to increase his labor output. He didn't normally have hands, after all, so he wasn't that acclimated to utilizing them yet. Even so, he had held so much with the little blue nubs he created, but still wanted to do more. Rather than being commended for his efforts, he had been reprimanded by the ones he wanted to help and impress. The splinters had hurt immensely, yes; he let out a scream and burst into tears. But that didn't even compare to the dull ache in his heart when the Cappies that came by sent him that not so discreet glare he had become oh so accustomed to seeing the past few days.

Fumu partly blamed herself. She should have cautioned him on the dangers of handling wood and should have known he would eventually resort to using his tongue in place of an extra arm. But in her defense, she sometimes forgot that Gooey was prone to doing nonsensical things that most would never even think him capable of doing. Still, with as much time as they have spent together recently and no matter how advanced his learning capability was, she really should have seen it coming from a mile away.

The blonde wasn't the only one irritated. Sword and Blade saw the whole scene from where they stood, still trying to chop down the same tree. They saw everything, and the younger of the two then hatched a plan that would not only benefit Gooey, but show that particular group of Cappies just how wrong they were.

"Hey, Gooey? Could you come here for a second, buddy?" He called him over in a friendly tone despite the anger he felt inside; Sword didn't want the boy to think he was mad at him too.

Gooey slid across the grass and over to the squire, who then pointed to the tree. Blade was still swinging his axe as hard as he could, unaware that his brother had ceased any attempts to bring the sturdy thing down himself. For some peculiar reason, this one _was_ taller and thicker in the trunk than any other here. Perhaps that was why they had been assigned this particular tree in the first place, but obviously the man in charge of this operation had severely overestimated their abilities.

Sword's axe had become stuck, embedded deeply in the trunk with no way out. He considered borrowing a second axe to carve this one free, and even briefly mulled over slipping away to retrieve the deluxe chainsaw in the castle garage that he knew was still under King Dedede's ownership, but then discarded both thoughts. This way was much faster. He waited until Blade left to get a drink of water before sharing his idea with the blob.

"I want you to take a running...or slipping start, and tackle this tree with all that you've got. Somewhere around this area. Can you do that for me, little guy?"

Gooey frowned, taking a moment to process his strange request. The Cappies and Fumu and Bun told him to just gather up the wood with only his hands and nothing else. He was already in trouble, and he would rather not do anything else that could make him even more disliked. But on the other hand, if he did this for him, then Sword would be happy. Sword was a friend of Kirby's, which made him his friend as well. So by helping Sword, then wasn't he helping Kirby? And he liked the squire. He was the one that taught him all of those words.

"...Yah, I can do that." He said at last, backing up several paces before headbutting the tree with as much power as he could summon.

Just as Sword predicted, the giant tree fell within a matter of seconds. His axe then flew from where it had been trapped and he caught it with ease. Had he and Blade not weakened it first, it never would have come down so easily. However, with Gooey's added strength, it saved them both a lot of time that would have been spent taking that behemoth of a plant down.

" ** _SWORD!_** " He heard Blade yell from across the worksite.

 _"Aw, here we go."_ He thought as his brother practically warped from where he stood to directly in front of him.

" **Have you gone _MAD?!_** " Blade exclaimed, nearly frothing at the mouth.

"Maybe I have." The other declared conspicuously.

The surrounding Cappies had come to gather once they heard the gargantuan tree's thunderous crash against the ground. Most of them were furious to the point that no amount of smoothing over from Blade or Gus could diffuse this predicament, just as he expected, but Sword wasn't about to let the blob take the blame for something he was responsible for.

"Listen, you can get angry if you want, but be angry with me and not him!" He addressed the small crowd, gesturing to the trembling Gooey pressed to his backside. "I asked him to do this to make a point. To get your attention. Don't think I haven't noticed what some of you have been doing, pushing him to the side and giving him ugly looks. I'm going to remind you that we live under King Dedede's rule, and although he's never caused destruction this grand scale before in one go, I think we can all agree that he's done much worse than this guy here when you add it all up."

Nobody dared to interrupt him. Neither of the squires had spoken freely like this before. They had always blended in with the background and were almost permanently affixed to their lord's side. But the attitudes of a select few had finally brought one of them to take center stage and act independently for the first time anyone aside from those that lived in the castle could remember.

"We learned to live with it. Pick up the pieces and move on with our lives. And here's another reminder; Gooey never meant to hurt anyone. He's a terrified kid that was suddenly dumped into the countryside with nothing but his instinct to survive. The kids in the village seem to have a better understanding of that than a pack of adults over twice their age. He's trying to help you! He wants to make up for what he's done so he can be a part of Cappy Village too, but after today, I'm beginning to think that him living somewhere else is for the best. Not for _your_ own safety, but for _his_!"

Several of the villagers dodged his helmeted gaze out of shame. They had already received a similar lecture from Fumu before, but hearing the same speech from one of the squires who normally refrained from drawing attention to themselves was somehow much worse. And he must have been quite the persuasive speaker, because the Cappies involved felt utterly embarrassed for waging petty revenge against a small child. In that regard, the townspeople realized they were no better than the king they so greatly opposed.

One by one, they extended their awkward but heartfelt apologies to Gooey. He forgave them with no resentment, of course, happy now that he was receiving the one thing he wanted from them. Still, this group was only a portion of the village's population, and the blob would have to work even harder to gain the approval of the remainder. For now, he needed to do his best to earn and keep the acceptance of this set of Cappies.

 **(** _Spring - Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands_ **)**

After the different factions began to actually cooperate with one another, they soon found that the way of the blob was far more efficient. At first, there were concerns over where the trees would land and whether or not Gooey was injuring himself for their benefit. Both worries were quickly put to rest, however, as Fumu provided the correct calculations to predict where they would land and Gooey confirmed he was no worse for wear when tackling down objects several times his size and weight. He truly was a tough little creature.

One team led by Sword and Blade was to cut up the wood into more manageable segments, and another led by Bun gathered the lumber afterward. A task that would have taken three days at the least to complete was mostly wrapped up within a single afternoon. There was still the processing of the wood left to be done once it was transported to the village, but that was another line of work altogether. That was strictly to be left to the professionals, so no additional assistance would be required from Gooey and company.

The Cappies were immensely grateful to him. With the increase amount of support existent, there was a much greater likelihood that the rest of the town would follow suit. His painstaking efforts were finally beginning to pay off, with acceptance and trust as the reward.

When it was time to sit down for lunch, the sole task remaining for the day was to haul the last stock of lumber back to Cappy Village. The single person aside from King Dedede to own a vehicle was Mayor Len, who had graciously allowed them to borrow his car and a trailer used for transporting sheep to load the wood. The shepherd working under him, Jeremiah, also came along as he was one of the few aside from those already mentioned that knew how to drive. Soon, this entire lumberjack experience would be concluded.

"Just so you know..." Sword spoke up, pausing to take a bite of his sandwich. "I had no idea how well that was going to work. I was only saying what I felt at the moment. That could have backfired horribly."

"For once, I'm... _happy_ you didn't use your common sense." Blade answered, knowing his words were perhaps as rare as they come. "When I saw that tree fall and Gooey standing there close by, I was prepared for the worst. I was scared. I didn't want him to lose what could have been his last opportunity for a peaceful life... If I became too defiant, I was afraid they would cut all ties and demand that he be banished effective immediately. That fear kept me from speaking out against his mistreatment and instead I remained silent. ...I apologize. Sincerely, I do. You truly were a better knight than I was in that situation."

"Aw, Blade... Shut up and eat a little, would you?" Sword then shoved the other half of his sandwich into his brother's open mouth, effectively silencing him. "Don't run yourself into the ground over it, okay? You were doing what you thought was best for Gooey, just like I was. He knows your heart was in the right place. Don't you, gooball?"

"Yuh-huh!" Said gooball replied, ketchup and mustard from his own sandwich messily dripping from his mouth.

"I was scared too." Fumu admitted as she wiped at Gooey's condiment-covered face with a handkerchief. "I told them everything you said before, but it only helped for a little while. Some of them were still being mean to him. But you...I think you really got to everyone! That was amazing, Sword!"

"Yeah! When you stood up to that huge group of yelling Cappies, I knew you were about to lay it down on them!" Bun cackled, talking with his mouth full much to Blade's and his sister's disgust.

"Guys, come on. You're embarrassing me!" Sword waved off their praises, covering up his rising blush with his free hand.

"Embarrassed or not, I believe everyone is content with the outcome." Blade added, ignoring his brother's bashful plea as he observed all that was accomplished around them; the materials gathered for rebuilding the town, the no longer present animosity from the interactions between Gooey and this group of Cappies, the blob himself with a goofy but relaxed expression on his face as he ate happily. "Think about it for a moment, Sword. None of this would have been possible without your interference. You have the right to celebrate, at least for today."

"Alright then, I'll congratulate myself with another sandwich. Fork it over, brother." He responded, shrugging off his compliments twice over in favor of making grabby motions at the lunchbox in Blade's grasp. Shouting for that long and getting that angry worked up an appetite!

* * *

 **(** _Forest of Tohno - Story of Eastern Wonderland_ **)**

For the fifth time since arriving at the Rainbow Bridge's remains, Kirby thrust his arm into the air with the Rainbow Drop in hand. He threw his limb outward with such force, it was a wonder the precious stone hadn't flew out of his grip and landed into the ocean. He had presented the Rainbow Drop to the bridge and even tapped the rubble directly with it, but no matter how many attempts were made, the disassembled structure before him wouldn't return to its original form.

"Kirby, give your arm a rest." Rick gently took the pink puffball and led him away from the stone wreckage. "I think if something was going to happen, then it would have already. Please don't be sad. You did your best."

Drowning out the hamster's words of comfort, the young Star Warrior tried to wrap his head around why the bridge wasn't restored to its former glory. He did the exact same thing as he did before; bring a Rainbow Drop to the destroyed bridge and watch as the pieces fastened themselves together into one. _So why didn't that happen this time?_

Or perhaps it wasn't the issue of _a_ Rainbow Drop, but rather _the_ Rainbow Drop. He remembered now - the legend explicitly stated there were seven of the colorful stones stashed away in currently unknown locations along the archipelago. It could be possible that each island's respective bridge would only respond to the Rainbow Drop found on that island. The one he held now couldn't do anything, so if he wanted to repair this bridge, he needed to uncover Big Forest's hidden chamber.

There was a problem with that, however. He and Rick had stumbled upon the last by pure coincidence. How were they to search every inch of the dense woodland and even hope to find yet another treasure that escaped notice for centuries? Even if they spent days on this island alone, there was still a high probability of the signs pointing to the chamber's whereabouts escaping them.

No, he couldn't let himself succumb to such negativity. Thinking that way wouldn't solve anything, would it?

Trying to verbally communicate his thoughts to Rick was almost as difficult as how he perceived finding the chamber itself would be. His speech was very limited still, and the hamster had a way of misinterpreting his babbling and gestures. Kirby shoved the Rainbow Drop in his face and continuously stuttered over his words, but Rick just couldn't decipher anything the puffball was saying.

Late afternoon had reached the island, and the duo, or at least one of them, were considering what to do from here since Kirby's idea had reached a dead end. The young Star Warrior had not given up on his previous plan, though. He would continue searching for the Rainbow Drop whether his friend was conscious of this or not.

He did agree with Rick's notion of returning to somewhere a bit more populated, despite his current self-assigned mission. As shameful as it was, Kirby was growing hungry, and food was not as readily available here as it was in the mainland. But when the two had almost reached a village nestled close by, they found themselves walking into trouble once again.

 **(** _There's Trouble! - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team_ **)**

" ** _SCARFIES!_** " A Bronto Burt screeched in terror as he sailed over their heads, a few Cappies and several Waddle Dees behind him immediately following his escape path.

From here, Kirby and Rick could hear the barks and cries of the ravenous pack. That explained why Kirby couldn't find any food in the area; the Scarfies had already eaten it all. But more worrying was that the pink puffball could hear faint screams and pleas for help in the exact direction everyone was running away from. He had experienced fighting Scarfies-turned-to-demon-beasts, but even without Holy Nightmare's meddling, they were fearsome creatures in their own right.

Kirby was never one to back away from anyone that needed assistance, but he and Rick had memories relating to Scarfies that weren't so pleasant. The puffball had been bitten by them several times when King Dedede foolishly kept them as pets, then during that same occurrence, Rick had become convinced they were going to eat him alive when His Majesty released them into the wild. So while they would never desert someone in danger, they weren't exactly thrilled about the type of enemies they would be facing, either.

The wails of the Scarfies and the nearly drowned out exclamations from their victim led them to a cave, similar in size and structure to the one Rick was taken to in Grass Land. Inside they found a hauntingly familiar scene as well; a wriggling burlap sack suspended by a rope with a pack of snarling Scarfies circling the ground below. This scenario was too contrived to brush off as a mere coincidence.

Kirby would have greatly preferred his Sword or Hammer ability for this fight, but Parasol would have to do. He leapt onto Rick's shoulders as the hamster charged forward, Kirby taking out the umbrella and using it to whack the Scarfies senseless. He hit them too quickly for the creatures to retaliate effectively, his blows coming off as more desperate to drive the beasts away than an actual battle. It worked, however, and soon the Scarfies grew tired of being beaten. They fled, leaving behind the burlap sack and Kirby with a now broken umbrella.

Rick scrambled up the wall and chewed on the rope, sending the struggling hostage downward. The young Star Warrior held his arms out to catch them, but the sack suddenly rose into the air and was then tossed over Kirby's head, revealing the flying captive's identity.

 **(** _The Professor's Deductions - Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney_ **)**

"Good gracious! I owe you boys my life!" Coo ruffled his feathers as he gracefully landed before them. "I was on my way to the corner of Big Forest, when-"

"You were nabbed from behind and thrown into that sack?" Rick interjected.

"Yes! How did you know?!"

"The same thing happened to me yesterday. If Kirby hadn't been there, I don't even want to think about what would have become of me..."

"I am very grateful to you both for saving me, but I am wondering why you're here of all places, Kirby." Coo pondered aloud. "If you and the good Cabinet Minister's family are vacationing, then you couldn't have chosen a more rotten time for it."

After exiting the cave, Rick and Kirby caught Coo up to speed with a retelling of their adventure so far. Hearing everything they had gone through the past day and a half almost sounded ridiculous to their own ears, but luckily the owl was no stranger to Cappy Village's weirdness. Only now the mainland had dragged the neighboring Rainbow Islands along for the ride. Coo already knew there was no one else on this island that the two could have told their story to and have been believed.

"Well, now it's time for me to tell you my story." The purple avian began as he rested on top of Kirby's head. "Please listen to what I have to say; Nruff has gone mad! I came here to Big Forest to visit them, as he and his Nellys recently moved here from their habitat in the eastern forest. Nruff has become a power hungry monarch of the woodlands. No one is safe! Boars are a proud species, yes, but this has gone beyond the excessive for his character! I'm growing concerned for my old friend!"

"Coo, calm down, okay?" Rick placed his paws on his feathery shoulders. "We'll get to the bottom of this. This sounds close to what went down with Whispy Woods. I don't know if it's the Rainbow Bridges being smashed to bits or if it has to do with that creepy thing using King Dedede like a puppet, but something fishy is going on here and it's been made personal by threatening you and Nruff. You two are some of my closest friends, so I can't stand around and do nothing if something this bad is going on."

"...Thank you, Rick. I feel a great deal more confident about facing him again, now." The owl sighed, relieved. "Now, about this business involving the Rainbow Drops. I may have a piece of info that could be useful to you; not too great a ways from here is a crevice that opened up recently. The residents say it's a chamber of some sorts, much like the one you described to me. Before I could properly investigate it myself, however, I was kidnapped on the spot!"

"Yeah, that _definitely_ sounds suspicious." Rick nodded his head, a certain fire in his eyes present that wasn't there before. "Can you take us to that place, Coo?"

"Certainly. Even if this does turn out to be a false lead, I owe you this much and far more. I will stay by your sides and provide as much as I can for as long as you need while here."

* * *

 **(** _Big Forest - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Rick considered himself blessed that Coo decided to accompany them, if only because the wise owl was far more adept at translating Kirby's odd speech patterns. Without him, the hamster would have never pieced together Kirby's second theory; that each island's bridge may solely react to its individual Rainbow Drop.

That wasn't all; Coo eventually figured out Kirby's inherently bold strategy for if he were to face against the possessed King Dedede again. He fully intended to fight whatever otherworldly being it was that held the king of Dream Land in its clutches. Despite the looming threat of being sent through another space-defying wormhole and ending up somewhere much further than the Rainbow Islands or Pop Star, he hadn't shown a scrap of fear at the prospect that the two could see. It wasn't that he was being naïve, as he had experienced the uncertainty of not knowing where he was just yesterday. They realized he was just that brave.

However, what truly astounded them was when Coo came to the unspoken understanding of the second half of Kirby's plan: he aimed to assemble the fabled Rainbow Sword, a blade so pure and powerful it could only bring harm to those with evil in their hearts.

Rick always had an inkling that the young puffball was considerably more capable than most gave him credit for, but he was beyond impressed with him today. Kirby had shown selflessness not present in most children his age and even adults, but to form such a concise plan with only scraps of a legend and a theory to work with? The boy was the very incarnate of determination, that much was clear without argument.

Navigating through the twisting forest, the trio eventually arrived at a spot with two trees standing side by side that would have normally gone entirely unnoticed. But, between them was a gaping hole in the risen ground shaped like a doorway, something that was nearly guaranteed to draw one's attention.

"I'll go inside first to check things out." Rick announced, entering the small cavern before either could offer a response.

 **(** _Rainbow Drop Chamber - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

The interior was very much like the chamber he and Kirby had stumbled across in Grass Land. He had no doubts left that the second Rainbow Drop was sealed away somewhere in here. He felt along the walls and ceiling in search for a clue to the stone's hiding place. He felt an area of ground with a different texture than the rest of the floor underfoot, and immediately began digging. However, it proved to be much too tough for his paws to break down, and whacking away at it with an umbrella they had already discarded wouldn't make any progress either. Reluctantly, he had to turn back.

"Okay, here's the deal." He began to explain to the two. "I think I found where the Rainbow Drop is, but I can't break through the ground to get to it. Do you have some kind of Copy Ability that could deal with that, Kirby?"

"Big Forest has a relatively sizeable population of Spikeys." Coo shared his advice. "Their shed quills should give Kirby the Needle ability upon inhaling. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a few."

After searching the forest floor, they found some Spikey quills for Kirby to gain a Copy Ability. He transformed into Needle Kirby, as Coo predicted, his skin turning yellow and donning a metal spike covered helmet on his head. Rick led them to the area he located the Rainbow Drop and stood a safe distance away as Kirby's ability did its work. The spikes on his pink cap surrounded his entire body and impaled the ground below, the pink puffball tumbling down further into the chamber and revealing the prismatic light from the stone.

Coo flew down to retrieve him, and a few seconds later the two popped out with the second Rainbow Drop in hand. The glow from the brilliant stone lit up the rest of the chamber, making it easier for them to find their way out. Once outside, the three took a moment to marvel at one of Dream Land's seven concealed treasures, comparing it with the one already in their possession.

Though it shone brightly, it was not as intense as the one found in Grass Land. Coo hypothesized this was because it had not yet fulfilled its purpose in restoring Big Forest's Rainbow Bridge, and would become as lustrous as the other once it came into contact with the dilapidated landmark. At least this distinction allowed them to tell the two apart.

"So, this means that now we have to go all the way to the other side of the island again to fix the bridge, right?" Rick asked unenthusiastically.

"Unfortunately so, as the island doesn't have any modes of transportation available." Coo answered with regret in his tone. "I could carry you both, if flying sounds more favorable than running?"

"Um, Coo, I don't think that's too hot of an idea." The hamster rubbed the back of his head with one paw and gestured to the purple owl with the other. "I mean, Kirby wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm so big and you're so..."

"Nonsense. I know I'm not the largest avian, but I can lift more than my appearance would tell." He scoffed, ruffling his feathers. "Rick, please hold onto Kirby. You might want to unequip your current ability for the time being for Rick's safety, Kirby."

 **(** _Coo the Owl - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

The two did as instructed, Kirby spitting out the quills into his hand and holding onto them for later use. The puffball dangled from the orange-and-white rodent's paws like a child with a stuffed animal. Satisfied, Coo took off into the air and swooped down to grab Rick with his talons. He took extra care in assuring that his claws wouldn't pierce his friend's skin and only latch onto his fur, as well as making sure his grip was firm enough so as not to drop them.

He carried them high above the treetops and into the blue skies, their destination and all else Big Forest had to display visible at this height. Kirby was enjoying every second of it, having reached altitudes his present level of hovering could only dream of. Rick, however, felt like he was going to hurl. He closed his eyes and whimpered, burying his nose on top of the little puffball's head.

"Try to steel yourself, Rick. I'll have you on solid ground as quickly as time permits!" Coo addressed him, noticing his uneasiness. "See, we're halfway there right as I speak!"

He cracked open one eye, only to regret this a fraction of a second later. He screamed and tightened his grip on Kirby, the rapidly moving landscape around him doing no favors for his impending airsickness. The young Star Warrior didn't mind being squeezed like a teddy bear for comfort, but he wished his friend would be a little more mindful of how much pressure went into his fearful hugs.

"Oh dear. Would flying a little lower help at all?"

"Yes, please." He whimpered again against Kirby's skin.

* * *

It had been Coo's hope that once Big Forest's Rainbow Bridge was repaired, whatever had come over Nruff would become nothing more than a bad memory. If there was any correlation between the two events, then avoiding any encounters with his friend turned tyrant was in everyone's best interest. As cruel as the boar had been to him earlier, he could tell Nruff wasn't himself and the owl didn't want any conflict to result from his actions.

He landed a short distance away from the site of the bridge's ruins and into a clearing, if only for Rick's wellbeing. Upon reaching the ground, the hamster fell onto his stomach and kissed the earth under him in gratitude, content to wallow there for the moment.

Taking in where they had stopped, Kirby noticed this location appeared to be some sort of village. The trees here were hollowed out and were interconnected with a series of bridges composed of wooden planks. It was a treehouse town, and he had never seen anything like it. But something that concerned him was, where were the people who lived here? His inquiry was answered seconds later by a stifled exclamation from Coo.

"Oh no..." He breathed, the mistake he had made now dawning on him. "Nruff has taken over this one too, and in such short time..."

The owl urgently turned to Rick, who was still rolling in the grass. "Grab Kirby immediately. I'm sorry to do this, but we need to leave right this second and not a minute later- **AUGH!** "

 **(** _Boss Battle - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D_ **)**

He was interrupted by a Nelly abruptly attacking him from behind, sending him hurtling several feet and into the center of the clearing. One by one and two by two and so many more, Nellys gradually began flooding the barren village and surrounded the three in a circle with no intention of letting them escape. Once the herd had effectively trapped them, the Nellys began to dissipate only at the sound of significantly heavier hoofs approaching: Nruff had arrived.

The larger boar stepped forward, his loathing gaze falling on Coo. He strode towards him at a leisurely pace, but anyone could see the fire behind each step. Kirby could remember only seeing Nruff one time before, and he had been angry then, but this was something entirely different. If he didn't act fast, then the boar might actually do something to hurt Coo in his current state of mind. Without wasting time to think further, he dove between the two and tensed his grip on the Spikey quills in his paw.

"What's this, Coo? Did you bring along reinforcements when you realized it was useless to face me alone? Did you think begging your _friends_ for help would make a difference in the end? It _won't_. You were doomed the moment you stepped foot onto _my_ grounds!"

Nruff's voice was so arrogant and cold, it was easy to forget that the boar may be under the influence of a malevolent power. Regardless of whether what was said was by his own will or not, Rick was not about to let him talk to Coo so disrespectfully while lying down. He rose to his feet and moved to address Nruff directly.

"Who do you think you are?! Talking to Coo like that, attacking us, taking over towns all over the island map...! Listen, we didn't come here to start anything, but we definitely aren't going to just stand here and take everything you throw at us!"

They could see the fury blinding the boar at being so openly defied. The Nruff of the eastern forest had been mostly content with his place in the wildlife's system. This Nruff was a power hungry tyrant that wouldn't be satisfied until all of Big Forest was under his self-proclaimed rule, no matter who he had to trample over to get there. The boar let out a few grunts and prepared to charge forward. Rick stood in front of Coo and spread his paws out, ready to wrestle with Nruff even though he knew his opponent was stronger. However, his intended target was not Rick or Coo: it was Kirby.

He swerved and struck the young Star Warrior in the side, sending Kirby flying through the air and his back colliding against the trunk of a tree. The force of the impact made him accidentally drop the two Rainbow Drops they had collected, catching some of the wild swine's attention.

"Hey Nruff, come look!" A Nelly called out to him. "I think the kid has something good!"

"No, you can't take those!" Coo rose to his feet and flew at Nruff to stop him, but the large boar raised his hind legs and kicked him aside, propelling him in Rick's direction.

"I _can_ and I _will_." He declared, snatching the stones in his mouth before Kirby could retrieve them. He tossed them to two of his Nellys, who ran off with them to the inside of one of the treehouses. "Consider it as payment for letting you go unharmed. If you leave now, I won't send my Nellys after."

"NO!" Kirby regained his footing and yelled in opposition, throwing the Spikey quills into the air and inhaling them without being prompted, transforming into Needle Kirby. "Giff em' back!"

"So, you want to fight, do you Star Warrior?" Nruff flared his nostrils and threw back his head to shout. "Fine, then! I'll flatten the three of you under my hooves!"

 **(** _It's Boss Time! - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

The brown boar leapt onto one of the lower bridges above, rattling the ladder and causing it to sway back and forth. Kirby opened his mouth to take a deep breath in order to float, but Coo, having finally recovered from being struck down twice, swooped in to grab him by the arms. The owl had caught him so swiftly too, all while keeping in mind the spikes on Kirby's hat as well as his own claws.

"Rick, Kirby and I will confront Nruff directly! Can you handle the Nellys by yourself?"

"Got it!" The hamster yelled in response, scampering off in the direction the two smaller boars with the Rainbow Drops had went.

"Nruff is a proud swine with incredible strength and size on his side, but I doubt he can soar through the skies as we do." Coo leaned down slightly to whisper. "This is likely going to be a battle of brains over brawn. Are you ready, Kirby?"

"Yea!" He shouted with a nod as his avian friend carried him over to the opposite side of their foe.

Nruff charged across the bridge, the wooden planks rattling underneath them. The duo dodged his attack, Kirby ejecting some of the needles on his hat and directing them towards the rampaging boar. He let out a loud pain-filled war cry at not only being hit, but at the realization that Coo and his cohorts might actually be capable of defeating him. To hear such a sound come from him hurt the owl immensely, but he had accepted that violence was the only method left of getting through to his old friend.

The striped boar skidded to a halt at the end of the bridge and mustered a thunderous cry from deep within his gut, summoning a small herd of his Nellys to come to his aid. Nruff knew he couldn't triumph through fair play, but he never specified if it was a three-on-one match either. In his darkly clouded state of mind, he was absorbed with the thought of victory and victory alone. He stomped his front hooves and snorted, leading his battalion of Nellys blindly forward.

Even with the advantage of flight, evading being rammed by the multitudes of oncoming swine was exceedingly difficult. Nruff was acting as their leader, their general of sorts. If he were to be brought down, then it was almost guaranteed that the Nellys would surrender. However, getting to him was becoming almost impossible. He hid in the middle of the herd when they ran together, and had even stooped so low as to use them as shields when leaving himself more open to attack. With Nruff mixed in together with them, his use of underhanded tactics, and Kirby having a shaky aim from firing his needles while in the air, it was an increasingly complex struggle at the level of some of the young Star Warrior's more dangerous matches against the demon beasts.

Below, Rick was having his own troubles combating the smaller boars. One after another ran about, tossing the Rainbow Drops back and forth amongst each other once the hamster would get close to seizing one. He butted heads with them, struck them in the sides, wrestled them to the ground, but it was all just a game to them; a massively outmatched game of keep-away that he barely had a chance at winning.

Nellys were knocked off of the platforms left and right, but they would quickly get back up and rejoin the fray. Kirby fired barrage after barrage of spines at them, but sometime during the madness of the battle, he began to think more cleverly about his strategy. He told Coo to fly them to the lower section of the bridge directly under Nruff, then activated his ability. Something happened that never occurred before when using Needle; the spines on his hat converged together to form one giant spike. This new attack took out several of the wooden boards above, as well as tripped a few Nellys and more importantly Nruff.

The large brown boar tried to skid to a halt, but stumbled and fell onto his face. The Nellys in front of him were not so lucky, most of them being shoved off of the bridge. Nruff bellowed angrily, rushing to the highest bridge and repeatedly stomping his hooves in an attempt to crash it on top of Kirby and Coo, but this along with sacrificing some of his henchmen throughout the battle left him extremely susceptible to their attacks.

His rage reached an all new height when he suddenly began gasping and sputtering words that didn't exist. He jumped erratically across the bridges, up and down to confuse the two, his Nellys not even spared from the aftermath of his wrath. Nruff coughed and hacked, and three large, black and round objects were expelled from his mouth: bombs. One of them successfully hit Kirby, while the other two provided a thick but brief smokescreen that worked to Nruff's advantage.

"Stars above, if he can do things like this now, he really has gone off the deep end!" Coo wheezed over the smog, his and Kirby's eyes watering as he flapped his wings with all his might to escape the fumes. "He has the upper hand again, but Nruff looks as though he's in pain..."

Though it stung Kirby's eyes to look, he could see the boar running with reckless abandon through the smoke. He had been cautious when executing his attacks so as not to leave any damage that would last, but Nruff was undoubtedly suffering right now. Kirby sensed that he needed to end this quickly, or the matter of who won and who lost wouldn't even matter in the end. Attaining victory would mean nothing if Nruff completely succumbed to whatever was holding him. The young Star Warrior cast his gaze down at Rick still fighting at ground level.

"Rick, watch out, poyo!" His first complete and concise sentence was the sole warning he gave to his furred friend below.

He abruptly wiggled out of Coo's hold and dove down onto the highest bridge where Nruff was and activated his Needle ability once more, but didn't aim his attack at him. He cut the ropes binding the wooden planks to the tree's trunk, causing one side of the bridge to give way with Nruff still on it. The middle bridge caught his fall, but only for a moment before it too and the last one underneath also collapsed. His bulky body suddenly crashing down onto them proved to be too much for the severely weakened bridges to support after he and the Nellys carelessly stampeded across them one too many times.

The hamster and the smaller boars all looked up simultaneously, then scattered instantly when all of them realized they were in danger of being crushed. Nruff hit the ground a second later; the fall itself wasn't high enough to seriously hurt him, but it couldn't have been a pleasant sensation either. He lied on his side, panting and breathing heavily, but seemed to have lost the red-hot anger that had been present in his eyes.

"Coo...are you alright?" Nruff asked, raising his head slightly to peer up at the owl.

"Yes, I'm fine. But I should be asking _you_ that right now!" He nearly squawked. "What happened before now to make you act in such a way? You could have been seriously hurt! If you stumbled upon the wrong villager, you or a few of your Nellys may have been turned into roast ham under the right conditions!"

 **(** _Days - Lotus Land Story_ **)**

"Your king, he was here not long ago." The boar answered vaguely before elaborating. "We came to this island expecting a better life than in our eastern forest, but it's nothing like home. There's more woodland in Big Forest, but surviving here in this season...is difficult. It was far from the luxury we expected. The Scarfies compete with us for food during this time, even when their stomachs are full. A number of the villagers fear us. I was too proud to return home, so we tried to persevere. Then that king of Dream Land came to us, the one who tried to cut down Whispy Woods and Acore... He came to us and said we should take this island for ourselves. And, for some reason, he persuaded us."

"He spoke to you? But what would he possibly gain from convincing your herd to ransack the villages here?" The purple owl's eyes widened. "Can you tell us anything else? Like where he may have gone afterward?"

"I'm sorry. I can't remember much after that. I can recall that he came from the skies, floating down to us but without any wings and surrounded by a cloud of black mist. The air turned cold, and his voice sounded nothing like when we met him that one time in eastern forest. Something was obviously wrong with him, but I didn't think about that at the time. All we wanted was a change of pace, a new place to live and grow; he took advantage of us and our hardships here for his own villainous gain."

"Nruff...come back to eastern forest. I know how difficult it us for you to admit your mistakes, but it's become clear to me that you and your Nellys cannot properly sustain yourselves here as you hoped. Wait until summer comes to Big Forest before traveling here again. There is no shame in coming home. Acore has told me himself that he has worried for you."

"I may want to go home, but not all of the Nellys share the same opinion!" Nruff countered as he shakily stood up. "Some of them are native to this land, and others find it easier to live here than I or most of the rest do."

"Then find who wishes to stay and who wishes to go. Those of you that want to leave can do so when the next boat comes in two days' time. Separating may be hard, but it's not forever! There's nothing and no one saying that you have to choose only one place to stay, and visiting is always an option! Don't make yourself miserable over a problem that has a fairly simple solution, even though it means swallowing some of your pride."

"...I suppose you're right, Coo. There's no sense in dragging out the issue further and risk all of us living miserably with the result. Very well, we'll all sit down and discuss this, then decide what to do from there."

"Hey, um, Nruff? I don't want to interrupt, since what you two are talking about is kind of important, but...could you get them off of me?!" Rick had successfully reclaimed the Rainbow Drops that were stolen, but three of the Nellys were making an effort to take them once again.

Nruff nodded, and with two stomps of his hoof and a warning glare, the three lesser swine immediately backed off. The hamster then scurried over to Coo and Kirby, hiding the stones deep within the pockets of his fur in hopes that they wouldn't be as easily noticed.

Before both sides parted ways, Kirby's group and Nruff's decided to repair the wooden plank bridges they had demolished in their earlier skirmish. Nruff assured them he was certain the people that lived there would come back once they realized it was safe again now that their rampage had ended.

"Ripple Field..." The largest of the boars said afterward. "You wanted to know where your king could have gone? It's the next island over. If hunting him down is really what you want, then he probably went there to cause more trouble."

"Thank you, Nruff. We have some idea of where to continue our search, at least." Coo extended his gratitude. "We would like to get this conflict solved as soon as possible so that no one else will have to suffer like this."

* * *

The puffball, the hamster and the owl arrived at what was left of Big Forest's Rainbow Bridge. Just as they hoped, the fragments responded to the glow of the Rainbow Drop and began to float into the air. The gray stone slabs regained their color as they clicked into place, the path to the next island restored in a matter of seconds.

Evening soon came upon them, and they all came to the conclusion that traveling to the next island should be left to tomorrow's schedule. Rick and Coo left to gather food and construct a campsite for the night, but were close enough that they could act quickly in case Kirby were to need them. The puffball himself stood at the edge of the shore, watching the ocean's waves and the stars flicker above in the purple twilit sky.

 **(** _Stardust - Ripresa_ **)**

Kirby frowned as the last of his ability faded away, returning to his pink color. He was happy that Nruff and the Nellys were alright now, and that another one of the bridges was back to normal, but the fact still remained that King Dedede had slipped away from them yet again. Kirby wanted to find the king and bring him back home where he belonged, but he was also dreading the inevitable second encounter.

The villain responsible for bringing such turmoil to the Rainbow Islands clearly had some motive in mind when shattering the Rainbow Bridges. What that was is anyone's guess, and it's entirely possible that the act was done out of sheer malice and nothing else, but by restoring the bridges to the way they were before and thereby undoing the villain's handiwork, there was no doubt in Kirby's mind that eventually their paths would cross.

What if he wasn't ready?

The young Star Warrior looked at the two stones in his hands, both glowing equally as bright as the other. He then set his blue eyes out towards the island in the distance. Ripple Field...somewhere in that watery landscape was another Rainbow Drop. Another piece of the puzzle that would unlock the weapon key to saving his friend: The Rainbow Sword.

Certainly if he obtained the powerful relic incapable of hurting an innocent, it could safely remove the being using King Dedede as a host. This was the course of action he decided to take once they had found that first Rainbow Drop in Grass Land. If the fabled stones turned out to be no mere fable, then the sword itself was bound to exist as well. When the idea had first popped into his head, Kirby thought it to have been a stroke of genius. So he had to cling to this hope with all that he had, otherwise fighting King Dedede and undergoing all the risks involved might be inevitable.

He sighed, setting his gaze at the Rainbow Bridge reflecting the light of the waning moon. He sat down just where the grass began to meet the sand of the beach and recalled Fumu's tale of the islands. She had said the bridges were speculated to have been built as a sign of unity between the islands. Every time he looked at one of them or the stones, his thoughts went to his friends back at Cappy Village. They had no clue where he was, and he wondered if they were alright after they were left to face that awful creature possessing the king.

No, they had to be. His friends were safe. Meta Knight and his squires would protect them, and if they were still looking for him, then asking Coo to send a message on his behalf would be simple enough with his flying ability. It probably wouldn't take him more than an hour, and owls were nocturnal anyway. Still, Kirby was beginning to ponder if regrouping with his friends would have been a better choice. Although Coo would have probably been Scarfy food if Rick had coerced him into leaving...

It wasn't that he disliked Rick and Coo's company, far from it, but he had never been apart from Fumu and Bun for this long before. It was only natural that he would begin to develop homesickness at one point or another. But leaving was not an option anymore; he had a duty to carry out as a Star Warrior, as Meta Knight would often say.

Kirby greatly admired the blue knight's ability to stay calm and collected in the face of adversity, because right now the puffball felt like melting into a puddle of pink pudding from the pressure. Meta Knight always knew what to do too, he was always there when he was needed most, and always successfully played his part in saving the day. Whether the elder Star Warrior knew it or not, he was exactly the kind of soldier young Kirby wanted to grow up to be like.

Suddenly, he heard Rick and Coo calling for him, motioning for him to come over and join them at their finished campsite. He could smell fish grilled over a fire and roasted chestnuts, making him drool slightly. His stomach gurgled with hunger, and he remembered he hadn't eaten anything since that morning. He quick sat up, then raced towards the fire pit.

After calmly thinking things over, the puffball was beginning to feel a bit more at ease with the knowledge that the masked knight was watching out for his friends and the town. Yes, Kirby was willing to bet that Meta Knight had this entire situation taken care of back at Cappy Village.

* * *

Meta Knight did not have this entire situation taken care of.

 **At all**.

Dusk had fallen on Dream Land once again, and his tiring search efforts again remained fruitless. Call after call, star after star, all with no results; it was a never-ending cycle of stress and disappointment. He had contacted soldiers stationed on over half of the Gamble Galaxy's planets and stars, but no one had found even a trace of the little puffball anywhere.

 **(** _Kousetsu - Bakemonogatari_ **)**

While waiting in-between calls, instead of tending to his own body's needs, he tried to do some independent research on the being that was at the center of this predicament. He had told Escargon and the others the creature was not a demon beast, but that was only a presumption, an educated guess. It was more likely that it wasn't one, as it carried an entirely different essence, but there still remained the possibility that he could be wrong. Therefore, he set to work on examining documents the GSA had recently recovered from some of Nightmare's now demolished factories. That too lead nowhere; there were plenty of files covering demon beasts with the power of bodily possession, but none that matched the specific criteria he was looking for.

Even while he was cooped up in the throne room in front of the monitor, he was kept up to date with the news from outside via Sword and Blade popping in before they left to aid the townspeople. He was aware of what was happening; the Rainbow Bridges being demolished in an instant and the islanders unsure of what to do or how to react to the blatant act of spite. King Dedede's unconscious body was paraded around the islands to commit those crimes, and like it or not, he had sworn an oath of loyalty to His Majesty, and the king had done absolutely nothing that he knew of to deserve this.

Why the archipelago was the enemy's target, he couldn't fathom, unless it was merely to instill terror in the masses by laying waste to a popular landmark. Regardless of its motives, it had caused enough turmoil in the short time it had made its existence known. His first instinct had been to fly over to the Rainbow Islands and track the villain down like a wild animal, then force the vile creature out of King Dedede and interrogate it for the whereabouts of his young pupil before slaying it for good. However, if he did, he would be leaving the village defenseless, as Escargon had pointed out earlier. That could be precisely what it wanted him to do.

 _"Why couldn't it have been me instead?"_ The knight thought, lifting up his mask just enough to rub at his sore temples. _"If it had been me, I could have found my way back with little difficulty. But Kirby...he's never stepped foot outside this country, far less off this planet. Disregarding the vacation he and Fumu won in that rigged quiz show of Customer Service's which shockingly turned out to be a genuine prize."_

 **(** _Eccentric - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice for All_ **)**

Meta Knight finally left the throne room only after the persistent grumbling from his gut was beginning to become discernable in his calls. At first, it hadn't been that noticeable, and most brushed it off as an audio bug within the system, but it was soon evident that the noise was, in fact, his stomach crying out for food after being neglected for well over a solid day.

Rather than get up and find himself some nourishment at the first moment available, he had opted to press onward with his search. This led to quite a few conversations quickly going off topic, one of which being his old teammate Falspar commenting between spurts of laughter that he sounded like a Grizzo being repeatedly poked with a stick. But the worst incident was, without a doubt, the call with Sir Arthur, the leader, general and commander of the Galaxy Soldier Army, eventually derailing to a forty-five minute long scolding of how Meta Knight was neglecting his health and that he hadn't changed at all from his days in the army.

The conversation would have been shameful enough if it had been just him and Arthur on the line, but **_no_** , he had company over when he received Meta Knight's call...

Sir Arthur had this signature way of metaphorically dragging you through the mud while simultaneously expressing his boundless love, care, and affection for you. Meta Knight loved the man as one would a father, but he would greatly prefer that this embarrassing episode was locked away for all eternity in the inner confines of his mind and inside the vault labelled 'cautious memories' in bold print.

So, after that, he walked down to the castle's kitchen and made himself a sandwich. Nothing fancy, just a slice of ham, turkey, and cheese between two pieces of bread. It was adequately filling, and it didn't require any utensils to create. He didn't realize how starved he actually was until he took the first bite, then he practically inhaled the rest. Meta Knight was grateful the Waddle Dees wouldn't be due for their dinner break until half an hour; nevertheless, he was paranoid of anyone seeing his true face, so he ate by lifting his mask up just enough to uncover his mouth.

It was when he was on his way back to the throne room that he saw the purple owl perched on a windowsill. Meta Knight presumed he was looking for Fumu and Bun, who really should have returned at this hour, but was surprised when Coo flagged him down.

"I tried tapping on the Cabinet Minister's balcony doorway first, but nobody seemed to be home. I couldn't find the children in the general vicinity while flying over, either. But you seem to be reliable, so..."

* * *

 **(** _At The End Of The Day - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

"Again, I can't thank you kids enough for helpin' out today." Gus laughed, wiping the sweat from his brow. "We got so much done, and I don't think none of this woulda ever been possible if it hadn't been for you and the little blue guy!"

"It's because of you that Gooey received the opportunity." Fumu corrected him. "If you hadn't talked to the other workers and spoke on our behalf, then I think we would still be stuck on square one with the rest of the village. You really pulled through for us today, Gus."

"Nah, I think that honor goes to your squire friend, Sword. He wasn't afraid to talk some sense into us when we really needed it most. Guy's usually talkative as stone when he's in town, but he really let us have it."

"This is going to follow me to my grave, isn't it?" Sword moaned into his gloved hands, effectively muffling his speech. "I was all fired up during the moment, but hearing you guys talk about it now, it's so embarrassing!"

"You should wear you words of today as if they were a badge of honor. For once, you have nothing to be ashamed of." Blade reassured him, patting his brother's armored shoulder.

"If you really say so..." The darker green knight said, slowly lowering his hands. "Hey...what do you mean, 'for once'?"

"I'm sorry things even got so bad that you had to step up to say something." Gus continued, hanging his head low. "We're just stupid jerks sometimes, then we need somebody to remind us in case we forget. I just never thought it would be you of all people."

"That's it. From this day forward, I'm taking a vow of silence." Sword huffed, raising one hand to signify his self-made promise. "I'm not talking to any one of you ever again except for Gooey and Kirby and Sir Meta Knight. The rest of you people can enjoy life without the sound of my voice intruding in it!"

He scooped Gooey up off the ground and walked away with him in his arms with a 'humph', the blob innocently asking him where they were going as Bun and Blade followed the other squire closely behind.

"Aw, come on, Sword! Don't be like that!" The boy called after him. "We're all just messing with you!"

"Sword, there's no reason to be bashful." Blade said, trotting up next to him. "It's all in good fun, as you sometimes say?"

"I think we've made him mad." The mechanic chuckled softly, pointing to their retreating figures in the approaching darkness. "I hope he eventually gets over it, though. I bet he'd be a real nice guy to talk to if he doesn't go sticking with the whole 'vow of silence' thing."

"I'm sure he would appreciate that, but he's just shy like Blade said, I think." Fumu chuckled as well, watching Sword stomp away while the two tailing him chatter around him. "Sword is actually the more outgoing of the two, while Blade is the responsible, mature and cool one when we're with them, but we've only recently discovered these sides of their personalities."

"Guess they're finally opening up. About time, really. It's nice to kind of get a feel of what they're really like and put personalities to those names and faces." Gus stretched and let out a yawn. "It's getting late. You better get on home and grab some dinner, maybe make sure everything's gonna be all right with those guys. And...if you happen to find Kirby sometime before tomorrow, wherever he is, tell him everybody misses him, alright?"

"Thanks, Gus, and I will... Goodnight." She said, beginning her walk home in the twilight as she let her thoughts wander freely for the first time that day.

It had been well over a day, twenty-four hours since Kirby disappeared from Dream Land. If it weren't for her taking such an active part in the town's reconstruction project, she probably would have spent the time pacing the floor worrying or pestering Meta Knight to aid in his search. However, the masked knight already made it plenty clear without offering a single word on the subject that he wanted no outside involvement in his affairs involving the GSA. She needed to focus her mind on something else; otherwise, Fumu would end up dwelling on how sore she was with him again.

The blonde was about to do just that, when suddenly Sword skidded to a halt in front of her at the castle's drawbridge. The younger squire still held Gooey tightly around his middle, who was wiggling with excitement as Sword panted to catch his breath. He tried to convey whatever message he had to say with odd gestures, but it was difficult to tell with the blob in his arms.

"I thought you were enacting a vow of silence against us, Sword." She snickered, letting herself take part in the teasing for a change.

"Fumu...Sir Meta Knight found Kirby."

 **(** _It Can't Be... - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

Her eyes widened, but she didn't get to ask any more questions before he motioned for her to follow and sprinted through Castle Dedede. Sword led her down the seemingly endless series of hallways, narrowly avoiding the flood of Waddle Dees preparing to enter the dining hall to eat their meals. He stopped without warning at the sculpted windowsill where Bun, his brother, Coo the owl, and surprisingly Meta Knight were waiting for them. The masked knight was the first to receive the news in full, but the rest only knew of Kirby being found.

"Sir Meta Knight, where is he? Where did you find him?" Her words came out a jumbled mess, but she didn't care.

"He's currently on Big Forest of the Rainbow Islands."

"Big Forest? One of the Rainbow Islands? That isn't far from here at all!" She exclaimed, wanting to sink to the floor and weep tears of joy. "So when will he be coming home? It has to be tomorrow, right?"

"About that..." Meta Knight turned and nodded towards Coo, urging him to speak.

"Well, you see, I found Kirby this afternoon after he saved me from a pack of rogue Scarfies. And, well, he was with Rick. He found Rick in a similar situation as I yesterday. And there was a boat, but Nruff and his Nellys started to take over villages in Big Forest. And I'm sure you've heard about the debacle with the Rainbow Bridges and Dedede's involvement with that...the point being, _Kirbyisn'tcominghomeforthenextfewconsiderabledaysorso!_ "

The poor owl sputtered through his entire explanation, and no one aside from Meta Knight who had already heard the whole story could understand any of what he was attempting to say. His feathers were ruffled until he looked about twice his actual size. It was all due to the stress of what he had to tell them, an answer none of them would likely want to hear. Thankfully, the caped Star Warrior took mercy on Coo and decided to cut to the chase.

"As Coo so briskly stated, it would seem Kirby refuses to return to Dream Land."

" _WHAT?!_ **WHY?!** " Everyone demanded clarification at once.

From there, Meta Knight recounted everything Coo had told him; everything from Kirby's arrival in Grass Land, his rescue of Rick and Coo, their discovery of the Rainbow Drops, the eerily violent behavior exhibited by Whispy Woods and Nruff, the pink puffball correctly guessing how to repair the damage done to the Rainbow Bridges, his reluctance to leave the islands and his reasoning as to why, and finally Kirby's untold plan to draw out and defeat the entity possessing King Dedede by assembling the Rainbow Sword.

By the conclusion, it was probably the most they had ever heard out of the blue knight, but more importantly, the contents of his report was enough to render the rest speechless. Kirby, with nothing more than his intuition as a Star Warrior, was tackling hurdles and solving problems independently during a countrywide crisis no one knew how to solve. It astounded them at the realization of how much he had grown since his battles with the near weekly demon beasts and Nightmare.

But Fumu, being the anxious friend and motherly-type caregiver that she was, still wanted him hauled back to Dream Land at that very instant.

 **(** _Emotion - Pokémon Black and White_ **)**

"So you're just going to let him go, even though we all know something terrible is going on over there?! You're perfectly fine with putting his life on the line for the sake of some sort of training, is that it?!" She fumed, her previous anger with the older Star Warrior bouncing back at full throttle.

"I didn't say that. If you would allow me to give my own reasoning as to why we should let him be for now at least..." He started, holding up one gloved hand as if to pacify her. "Kirby's strategy is a sound one, I admit; if it were to be executed successfully. He's acting selflessly for others' sake, complete strangers, even, and he's doing everything in his power to accomplish his goals. He's showing all of the attributes of a grand Star Warrior."

Meta Knight turned to gaze into the glittering night skies above as his eyes briefly flashed a shade of light green.

"Up until now, in combat, he could only begin to fight when prompted. Even his innate ability to inhale was brought forward by your command. His vocabulary is growing slowly but surely, and he's making decisions autonomously. Kirby is maturing. If we were to interfere as it were, I believe this developing confidence of his would be stunted, perhaps even shattered."

Fumu felt any words of reprove die in her throat. It was crazy, and she knew it. Kirby could get seriously hurt or transported somewhere they would never find him, but she couldn't disprove his point; Kirby was growing up. She never once doubted his wide array of abilities would save them when they were in need, but sometimes Fumu really believed she was the sole person who acknowledged that the young Star Warrior wasn't invincible.

And yet, she couldn't find anything in her to argue back.

If this same conversation had taken place six months ago, Fumu might have been more advocating towards Meta Knight's resolution to remain uninvolved. But with things the way they were now...

"Fine, then! Just do whatever you want!" She screamed, fists balled at her sides, tears beading in the corners of her clenched eyes.

She ran away, not faltering even when her brother and the squires called out to her. She didn't stop, even when she burst into their living room and her parents worriedly asked her what was wrong. She didn't stop until she entered her room and closed the door with a loud slam, throwing herself on top of her bed and diving underneath the covers completely. The knight's words echoed and bounced along inside her head repeatedly, ceaselessly like a broken record.

 _"But what if he is right? Would intervening really be hurting Kirby more than helping him?"_

She immediately shut down that train of thought, grabbing one of her pillows and letting out her frustrations by screaming into it.

Meta Knight was usually a fantastic predictor of how one would react in a given situation, but he honestly never estimated that the girl would take it so badly. He had no intentions of abandoning the younger Star Warrior to this predicament alone, but she had left before he could properly defend his decision.

"Coo, make of what you've witnessed here tonight as you will..." The masked knight said, regaining his voice. "Nevertheless, thank you for going out of your way to watch over Kirby in our stead and deliver his message to us. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to contact the Galaxy Soldiers and tell them he's been located."

The quiet click of his armor echoed down the hallways then disappeared entirely, no different than a phantom. Gooey turned in Sword's arms and looked up at him with sad droopy eyelids.

"Is Kirbee not coming back?"

"It...It doesn't look like it, Gooey." He answered quietly.

The blob's eyes immediately began to water, then he burst into tears. Sword and Blade pet him on the top of his head in a feeble attempt to bring him some form of comfort, the two unsure of how to feel about what was transpiring themselves.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Well, I've broken the record again! This chapter is our longest yet, and I didn't even mean for it to be. Are you guys okay? I didn't lose some of you up there in that dense jungle of words, did I? Anyway, this chapter is where the plot starts to pick up the pace again. Some of you keen eyed readers might have also picked up on the amount of foreshadowing present; there's quite a number of references to future arcs if you look in the right places. There's so much I could say about that, but instead, I'm going to elaborate a bit on the main features of this chapter.

Firstly, Kirby and Rick's disagreement early on is, in my opinion, a dilemma with no truly correct decision. Both of them had very sound reasons for choosing to stay or go. While going back to Dream Land and regrouping with his friends to get help may have been beneficial in the long run, they were also hot on King Dedede's trail at the time. Kirby's mind was set on saving King Dedede and stopping him from unwillingly hurting even more people, even though it meant spending more time away from his friends. Conflicts like this where there's no clear cut right answer will come up again later in the series.

Second, a common scenario in the anime was, whenever the people of the town were acting in a way she didn't approve of, Fumu would step up and reprimand them on it. Most of the time, this worked, but there were some times when she was outright ignored in some episodes too. We've seen what the townspeople are capable of when pushed far enough in Chapters 4 and 5. Sword standing up and calling them out on their poor treatment of Gooey wasn't a spur of the moment writing choice, it's been built up since Chapter 5. The townspeople have become so used to Fumu being the one to disagree, that during a time when everyone is scared or unsure and lashing out in anger, her words are drowned out. Sword stepping forward was necessary to move this section of the story along.

Speaking of him, Sword and Blade have been given expanded personalities in After Story, as some readers have pointed out. There really wasn't much in the source material that made them stand out from each other, so I watched a few episodes, particularly "Sword and Blade, Loyal and True / Hour of the WolfWrath" to get a feel for how I would portray them. Blade can be a bit overly confident in his words and mannerisms, but he's ultimately the more hesitant of the two. Sword, however, is more in touch with his emotions and more impulsive. I also genuinely believe they never actually hurt anyone when they were bandits, because of a certain scene in the episode mentioned above.

When the demon beast attacked them in the flashback, it went for Blade first. Blade, rather than taking action immediately, sat on the ground and quivered, _hesitating_ , before picking up his axe and waving it around while begging it to go away. Sword, however, grabs his mace and _runs forward_ to save him, but trips from the weight of the weapon. Also, in the Japanese version at least, the two sound somewhat nervous when they realize Meta Knight isn't afraid of them. While fear could have a large part to play in it, these instances make me believe their old weapons were more for intimidation and fighting off the occasional lesser demon beast that crossed paths with them.

Going onward, Fumu feeling bitter towards Meta Knight was first revealed in Chapter 3. He gave a reason for his absence in the chapter afterward, but him being busy with GSA-related things wasn't the excuse she was looking for. It isn't the fact that he's so heavily involved with the GSA now, it's that he cut all contact for six months even though they live in the same castle. Meta Knight left Dream Land and Pop Star a few times during the gap, but he wasn't away for long. So really, her anger is understandable. And Meta Knight himself is probably completely unaware that he's done anything wrong. Considering their relationship in the anime as partners of holding Kirby's secrets and keeping him safe, they must trust and hold a great amount of respect for each other. This rift has become very severe, and a sub-plot of this arc will be how it proceeds from here.

Finally, I can't even begin to describe how difficult the music selection was for this one. Aside from the soundtrack from the game, many of the audio decisions made were due to stress. So while some of the choices may seem strange, ultimately, I believe each one fits the given situation well, even if it isn't obvious at first. I did say foreshadowing was everywhere in this chapter, and that can even include the music links.

Anyway, I've said enough now. I've made you read enough, so go on, be free! Give yourself a pat on the back, go eat a snack and take a nap or something. You deserve it for making it this far.


	8. Ripple Field

Chapter 8 - Ripple Field

Living in a southern country, Kirby was no stranger to the tropical environments that came with it. The mainland had much to offer; bright sunlight during summer with warm sandy beaches and plenty of food that wasn't available in colder countries. So Ripple Field, though technically located inside Dream Land's territory, shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did.

 **(** _World 3: Ripple Field - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Ripple Field itself was one giant beach. There were boardwalks and piers all along the shore, and finely crafted wooden boats carried Cappies and Waddle Dees out to sea within visible distance to fish. Even more exotic fruits and flowers grew on the green trees and bushes that decorated the strips of land along the lagoons. With such beautiful scenery, it was no wonder why the island was popular with outsiders visiting the archipelago.

However, Ripple Field was an aqueous land, with more H2O composing the island than actual land. The pink puffball, momentarily too fascinated with the sights and smells around him, hadn't taken how this would affect their exploring efforts into actual consideration until a wave rose up and over the walkway to soak him and his friends. Kirby knew he wasn't the best swimmer; Fumu always made him wear an inner tube whenever they went out to swim in the ocean. He doubted Rick and Coo were adept at wading through water either, since they were covered head to toe in fur and feathers.

 **(** _Drenched Bluff - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

Finding this island's Rainbow Drop would be on a level more difficult than the last two. Even if they searched the entirety of the surface, that wasn't even covering the underwater areas the chamber could be. All they had at the moment were good pairs of feet and no fins or gills, and it was unlikely they would be growing some anytime soon, so Kirby and his friends would stick to searching on land first.

As they were passing through, the three overheard more gossip from the residents of the seaside villages. Apparently Nruff's advice to come here if they were pursuing the runaway king had been correct, because King Dedede was spotted floating above the island earlier that morning just when dawn began to break over the horizon. After that, no one was sure of where he disappeared to.

It was a sign to Kirby that he was on the right track, but he wasn't ready to face him yet. If the possessed monarch decided to attack him, then there was no doubt that he would be in danger of being sent through another portal with Rick and Coo also at risk of sharing the same fate. For now, he hoped the being puppeteering Dedede kept its distance, as unfair as he knew it was to the suffering king.

He and Rick handled covering the land around them in their search while Coo took to the skies. He flew high enough that he could get a better view, but low enough so he could hear the other two. It helped that the owl had exceptional hearing, so he could afford to fly a bit higher. Rick held experience in traveling for long distances since he was a wanderer whenever he wasn't settled in the eastern forest or near Cappy Village and had a keen eye for noticing the things in his surroundings. With the two of them by his side, finding the chamber if it was hidden on the surface should be far easier than doing it alone.

However, as morning shifted to noon, the trio was beginning to believe that the Rainbow Drop's chamber may indeed be underwater somewhere. It was true they hadn't crossed the entirety of the island within a few hours' time, and it wasn't like there would be a large glowing sign in neon lights pointing them to the chamber, but it was becoming more and more probable that searching the coast was a fruitless effort. They would need to dive into the lagoons to continue their treasure hunt.

 **(** _Oho Ocean - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ **)**

From this, Kirby learned a lesson: a wet hamster is not a happy hamster. Rick was not fond of getting his fur wet in the slightest, but he was the first to volunteer out of his own fondness for Kirby. It was a small section of water, but he stayed submerged for a worryingly long time to the puffball. When he resurfaced, he had no hints towards the chamber's location and complained about his fur feeling heavy and his eyes stinging with salt. After this, Coo made it a priority for them to go back to the nearest village and rent some diving masks. Luckily the hamster had money on him, but he was reluctant to spend it on scuba diving equipment, of all things.

Even with the aid of the masks, the task of traversing Ripple Field's waters was a daunting one. The Waddle Dee behind the counter warned them of the swift currents and the labyrinth-like caverns in an accent that was hard to follow, but nothing could have prepared them for the frustrations they would be facing.

Why on Pop Star anyone actually enjoyed scuba diving as a recreational activity here, Rick would never comprehend, because the diving they were doing wasn't even that deep and he insisted he was developing thalassophobia. He was just being overdramatic, but he would honestly be happy if someone told him he would never have to take part in it again once this was over. Coo wasn't having much luck either. His wings may glide through the air, but they certainly couldn't glide through the water with the same ease. Out of the three of them, Kirby ended up being the best swimmer, and all he could do was dogpaddle.

After a little over an hour of this, they decided to take a break to lighten their disappointment. The three gathered up some wild fruits and berries to eat for lunch before tackling diving again. Rick tried to catch a few small fish for them to roast since he was already drenched but had to cut the trip short after almost being struck several times by falling coconuts from the palm trees lining the beach. So instead, the three munched on sweet mangoes and dragon fruits.

"If I had been born a duck, perhaps this part of our travels would have been less challenging." Coo lamented as he pecked at his food.

"Don't take it too hard, Coo." The hamster assured him. "I probably could have done more if I hadn't wasted so much time complaining. I just... _really_ don't like the feeling my fur gets when it's wet."

"At least it's warm here so we can dry off quickly."

It didn't take long at all for the sun's rays to do so, since Ripple Field was currently undergoing its summer season. When Kirby began to think about it, the islands they've visited so far weren't too different from Dream Land during certain times of the year or in specific places. Grass Land was similar to Green Greens, Big Forest was similar to Whispy Woods' Forest, and Ripple Field was similar to the beach near town during summer. In a way, it was like slices of home were right here with him. It was one of three comforts he had found in this experience, the other two being having Rick and Coo by his side, and the times they ate meals together.

The three of them had come to this place with a clear objective, and they weren't leaving until it was completed, but in an adventure full of uncertainty, the normalcy of sitting on the ground and chattering away leisurely as you ate was something to enjoy.

But this peaceful intermission was to end sooner than they expected.

" **AAAAAH!** **_Somebody help me!_** **_AAAAGLUBUBUB!_** "

 **(** _Versus Squid - Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea_ **)**

"That sounded like Kine!" Rick exclaimed. "No, there's nobody else that could be except Kine, but why would he be yelling like that here? He's a fish; it's not like he can drown."

"Now isn't the time to question it." Coo replied, getting onto his feet. "Kine panics easily, but he screamed for a reason. He could be hurt!"

The three hurried off in the direction of the fish's cry. As they got closer, there was the sound of furious splashing and a loud _plunk_ , then nothing but stillness followed. The distressfulness of the situation doubled when the three arrived at the scene and found signs of a struggle; wet soil several feet from the lagoon and deep ripples present on the water's surface, and the most frightening piece of evidence of all - the grass close to the edge was singed, almost as if lightning had struck that very spot.

Rick and Coo looked at each other with dread in their stares.

"You don't think he...?"

Kirby put on his swimming goggles and dove in before the two could finish the thought. Coo being the slightly more efficient one at treading water went after the puffball. He quickly caught up, fighting the strong currents and avoiding the more hostile aquatic life to reach him at a small passageway carved into the submerged cliffside. He turned around and smiled, then motioned for the owl to follow.

They entered to find themselves inside a sealed-off room with air pockets, and dangling from the ceiling was a rope of chains with a squirming burlap sack attached to the end. Directly below it was a tentacled creature akin to a jellyfish; another rogue demon beast that went by the name Master Green. Rather than naming it after the yellow-orange color of its skin, it received its name from the green electrical charges it gave off.

Master Green reached up to touch the bag with the tip of its tentacle, releasing a shock and nearly electrocuting poor Kine through the slight tears in the fabric. The shriek he let out must have amused it greatly because it repeated the action with an even stronger jolt. This angered Coo, who then bravely flew towards the demon beast without fear for his own safety to grab the tentacle and rip it off with his beak.

"Kirby, take this!" He shouted, tossing it towards him.

The young Star Warrior inhaled the appendage and felt his skin begin to tingle as it turned a vibrant light green. A silver circlet with a large round blue stone at the center appeared around his head as sparks of electricity flowed from within him and into it. Kirby had transformed into Spark Kirby.

"Kine, help is here, poyo!" He shouted, causing the trapped fish to let out a cheer before being cut off by yet another zap.

Kirby rubbed his hands together, increasing the power of his own charge before rushing forward to attack the demon beast head on. He tackled Master Green with all of his strength and knocked it away so Kine wouldn't be victim anymore, sending the violent jellyfish hurtling into the moist wall. Science took over after that, the condensation on its skin mixing with Kirby's static made it take heavy damage by electrocution - a fitting irony after tormenting Kine.

Acting quickly, he built up his charge again before Master Green could recover, rapidly moving his palms against each other as sparks flew from his hands and all along his body. He then took a bold step forward and let loose all of his energy into one steady stream of power - a glowing arrow of light made of pure electricity. It moved across the room, barely evading Coo as it struck the demon beast directly between the eyes. Its body fizzled excreting short streaks of lightning, then exploded into a shower of stars.

"Hey! What's going on out there? Did you win?" Kine said from within his confines, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse.

The pink puffball quickly floated up to the ceiling and yanked at the chains holding him captive. It was wrapped tightly around the opening of the sack, meaning the kidnapper had no intention of giving Kine any opportunity to go free. After more panicked pulling, Coo tore open the bag with his beak and hurled the fish into the water before he smothered on air. Kirby and the owl then left the cramped enclosure, the three swimming back to the surface where Rick was waiting for them.

"You guys were starting to scare me!" The hamster shook, holding both paws over his heart. "I was worried you might have drowned... I see Kirby's got another ability. You had to fight to save Kine, huh?"

"Whoever is at the foot of this mystery must be growing annoyed with us, because poor Kine's sack was tied up with a _chain_ rope rather than one made of fibers or strands." Coo replied with his beak turned downwards.

"Okay, _that's it!_ I've had it up to here!" The other shouted, raising his paw high above his head. "Kidnapping us and shoving us into sacks is one thing, and Kine _is_ kind of a ditz, but he didn't do anything to deserve something like this! He's just a fish doing his own thing swimming through the ocean and blabbing about romance! How does that call for being thrown in a bag to die?!"

"Gee, thanks! ...I think." The ocean sunfish in question thanked him before briefly pondering Rick's choice in words aloud.

 **(** _Ripple Field - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

"That being said, are you alright, Kine?" Coo asked, scanning him over for any signs of injury. "That demon beast tried to slowly turn you into fish fry! You must have been terrified!"

"Oh, I was! I was grabbed by that odd creature, and then I found myself in that sack. I thought I was doomed to never see my sweet Mine again! But then Kirby saved me, so I'm fine now. I'm alive and free to see beautiful Mine with my own two eyes once more!"

"Well, I'm really relieved you're not hurt, believe me I am after how close that could have been, but..." Rick trailed off, scratching behind his ear in confusion. "...who's Mine?"

Kine's eyes lit up brighter than Kirby's Warp Star. The puffball had already heard the news from Kine once before, and not long ago at that, but he would be glad to hear it all again if it brought joy to his aquatic friend. Besides, Rick and Coo had obviously not talked with him since before he met Mine, and Kirby thought it was an important thing for them to know Kine had finally met the love of his life.

"She's an ocean sunfish just like me! She's actually why I was here today and she lives in the Rainbow Coral Forest right here in Ripple Field! Her scales are the color of the prettiest pink coral and her eyes are like the blackest of pearls! And she's as sweet as the fruit on the trees! Out of all the times in history I could have been born, I'm sharing the same time with Mine! I'm so lucky to be alive right now!"

He prattled on and on about how lovely his new girlfriend was for what felt like _hours_ to Rick and Coo. They were happy for him, especially since they knew of his one-sided crushes in the past that always seemed to have ended in heartbreak. But there were other matters that needed settling at the moment, and Kine's increasingly long praises were beginning to sound like bragging to the ears of the two who still happened to be single.

"Look, Kine, we're glad to hear your life is going really great right now, but we kind of have something that we need some help with." Rick interjected, an idea popping into his head. "See, we're trying to find something, and we think it might be somewhere underwater here. We aren't the best swimmers, so maybe you could lend a fin with that? You know, we scratched your back, now you scratch ours?"

"I'm not sure what scratching backs has to do with all this..." Kine said confusedly. "But if there's a way I can make it up to you-"

 **(** _Shower Room - Pikmin 2_ **)**

" _Rick!_ Kine is _not_ obligated to help us just because we saved him!" The owl had caught onto his scheme and almost felt like pecking him for his rudeness.

"But it would be so much easier if he did!" He insisted, waving his paws around for emphasis. "Face it, Coo! We aren't built for going underwater, the same way he isn't built for going on land! It would just be for a little while, and he knows this place better than we do! We'll probably find it in a snap, then Kine can go on his way!"

As the two continued to bicker, the fish at the center of the disagreement looked at Kirby, hoping for an explanation of some sort. The puffball felt conflicted himself; he had wanted to ask him for his help, but Rick had beaten him to it. But Kine had come here from the shores of Dream Land's ocean for a reason just as valid as theirs, and that was a meeting with Mine. Coo was right; Kine didn't owe them anything.

So, Kirby turned to Kine and asked him:

"Wha do yuu wanna do?"

The fish's eyes widened in surprise, not actually expecting Kirby to speak, much less ask him a question. He thought about the inquiry itself for a moment. Kine wasn't as dumb as most thought he was; he could tell there was something wrong even before a demon beast had taken him captive. When he crossed Ripple Field's waters, along the ocean floor, he saw them; the colors had been faded and gray, but their identity was unmistakable - bits and pieces of rubble from a Rainbow Bridge.

"Well, I..." Kine contemplated his response carefully. "I would like to know what's going on, first. If that's okay."

Kirby wasn't the best at communicating with words yet, and he doubted he could mime enough of their story so far to satisfy Kine's curiosity, so he would need the assistance of those who could speak for him. He walked between Rick and Coo, too lost in their argument to pay the puffball any mind until he poked them both in the stomach to get their attention.

"In a minute, Kirby. This is kind of more important right now."

"Rick, don't shift your rudeness onto him too! Yes, Kirby? Is there something you need?"

He didn't reply, only pointing them in the direction of the lagoon where Kine was at. The fish frowned at the two, looking more serious than they had ever seen him throughout the entire time they had known him, all while still showing traces of his timidity.

"Um...look, before anyone starts making decisions for me, I...I would at least like to know what's going on!" He demanded before immediately turning sheepish. "Uh, what I mean to say is, it feels like there's something more to this than you're telling me. I get it. I know. I saw what happened to the island's bridge myself. And...and I think it's terrible. I know I don't have to owe you anything, but I think I should. So, if there's a way I can help somehow, I would like to know, but I can't do that if no one will tell me anything."

"I...I'm sorry, Kine." Rick apologized, the shame rising up from him. "I shouldn't have tried to push you into helping us before I even said why we needed it to begin with. I'm so mad about everything that's been going on here lately, I didn't really think about how you felt about all this."

"I shouldn't have jumped in as strongly as I did, either." Coo admitted, hanging his head. "I only wanted what I thought was right. I didn't want you to feel as though aiding us was mandatory because we saved you from a situation you had no fault in in the first place, or because it would make our search here easier. Out of us here, Kirby was the only one that brought your own thoughts and feelings into consideration. We'll tell you everything you want to know, Kine."

So, in the end, they did tell him everything. Everything from how Kirby arrived on the Rainbow Islands, to him saving Rick and Coo from a similar predicament, to King Dedede's own abduction, to Whispy Woods' and Nruff's strange behavior after coming in contact with him, and how the mythical Rainbow Drops tied into all of it. They were almost certain they would lose Kine somewhere, but the fish stayed attentive and listened to every word.

"Oh, so that's what's happening..." He said quietly, sinking deeper into the water. "I had no idea it's gotten this bad already... Um, I don't know how much help I can be, but I think I may have some clue of where another one of those stones _could_ be. There are a lot of underwater caves in Ripple Field; a few of them haven't even been explored by anyone on land yet! I bet what you're looking for is bound to be down there somewhere!"

"That's all well and good, Kine. But certainly you realize this won't be as simple as that." Coo sighed. "There's a nearly endless system of submerged tunnels underneath us, and the Rainbow Drop itself is hidden inside a chamber of sorts that is also hidden from plain sight. Even with your aquatic expertise, I'm afraid finding both will be more challenging that you're making it out to be."

"Well what kind of attitude is that to have?" Kine asked, bouncing out of the water and back in with a splash. "You were asking for my help, but now it sounds like you're ready to give up! You may call it being simple, but I call it being _optimistic_! I may not be the most clever guy, but even I know you have to have the right attitude when going for something tough!"

"Kine's right, Coo!" Rick loudly agreed. "Standing around and talking about how hard this is gonna be is no way to act! We've just gotta try our best and keep at it until we get it done!"

"Yeah, poyo!" Kirby cheered.

"Well, I suppose I can't reject that logic in this turn of events, can I?" The owl conceeded, ruffling his feathers lightly. "Alright, Kine, we're counting on you. The fate of the Rainbow Islands rests in your capable fins."

"Alright! Great! So Kirby, I'll need you to climb in my mouth now, okay?"

There was a moment of total silence. Then, Rick and Coo sputtered in perfect unison:

"...W-What...? ... _What?!_ "

* * *

 **(** _Mask Shop - Yume 2kki_ **)**

Breakfast that morning at the cabinet minister's table was an awkward one rife with tension. Seeing their daughter upset wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but for her mood to persist for this long, it was unnerving to Parm and Memu. The family thought letting her simmer for the night would decrease her temper by at least the smallest amount, but no, she was just as angry as she was when settling for bed.

Though Fumu gave no clarifications herself as to why she was in such a foul mood, her parents knew it had to be related to Kirby. It was Bun, Sword and Blade that were left to fill in the gaps, only offering a vague explanation as to why. All they were made aware of was that Kirby had been found safe and sound, but he wasn't coming home for a while at least. The pair understood why that would upset their daughter, because frankly they had a similar reaction as the others when informed, but it was obvious to them that something else had happened that neither their children or the squires were willing to share.

Parm and Memu wanted to know more, but they knew not to press the issue. Instead, they chose the most difficult option of all for them to take: simply not addressing the metaphorical elephant in the room. They would do what they always had; treat their oldest child with patience and understanding and wait for her to open up on her own if or when she wished to. They weren't keen on her keeping secrets such as these from them, but the couple had learned when to not overstep in their growing children's concerns.

The morning wasn't much better on the squires' side of the castle, either. Meta Knight went back to the throne room last night and notified the Galaxy Soldiers he enlisted in the search that Kirby had been found, and the two went on to bed before him. When they awoke, their lord was not there with no sign of him ever having returned to their living quarters.

Sword and Blade made a simple breakfast for themselves and set aside a portion for him should he come back within the hour, but in the end, it was just them and Gooey eating together at an uncomfortably quiet table. The blob had been staying with them since his discovery several nights ago so they and Meta Knight could keep a close eye on him.

The two hadn't had a speck of trouble out of him, only having to occasionally quieten him whenever he became restless in the dark or pull him out from underneath their beds whenever he would get to feeling adventurous. But last night had been different; it took them well over an hour to calm his cries, Gooey eventually crawling on top and at the foot of Sword's bed to sleep instead of inside the basket of warm blankets and pillows they had prepared for him.

Though they had a night's rest to think things over, they still weren't sure how to go about it. Sword and Blade didn't always understand the enigmatic ways of their superior, but they did know he consistently kept what would be best in the long run in mind; Meta Knight didn't make decisions on a whim.

From their perspective, every move he made was carefully thought out, like moving pieces of chess across a playing board. Perhaps there were twists and turns that only he could see on this hypothetical board, and trying to force the eventual outcome before it was time was as useless an endeavor as badgering a pawn along to the other end in one move and declaring it king while deliberately ignoring the rules of the game.

Nevertheless, continuously overanalyzing his actions would only take them onto a road that led to nowhere, so the squires chose to resign themselves and trust in his judgment regardless of how much they could sympathize with Fumu on the subject. After all, Meta Knight wouldn't have spent the better part of two days searching for Kirby just to abandon him if he were in trouble.

As indecipherable an individual as he was, Sword and Blade were certain that the knight had a disguised plan of some sort he had intended to make clear up until Fumu's temper got the better of her. It was likely that their lord was now enacting his secret strategy behind the scenes and without their inclusion, and that was why they hadn't seen him at all since nightfall.

 **(** _Romani Ranch - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D_ **)**

Gooey's task of rebuilding the town for the day was to help Mayor Len roundup all his stray sheep. He had still not recovered them all and was having problems coaxing some to rejoin the flock. It was a higher level of assignment than the others he had taken part in, not by importance, but because the mayor was an influential figure in the village. Aside from King Dedede and Parm the Cabinet Minister, he was the leading authority in Cappy Village, so if Gooey earned his approval, then the rest of the people would undoubtedly follow his lead.

The three finished their food and passed off the dishes to a Waddle Dee wandering the hallway just outside their living room. Rather than leave the castle together, they and Bun had agreed on meeting at the mayor's house instead, most likely to avoid any unwanted apprehension that could arise from Fumu's present animosity towards their lord. She would be less likely to stir up a fuss if her focus was on aiding the mayor, at least, that's what they were hoping.

Fumu, Bun and the Mayor's family were waiting for them when they got there. The blonde sent them a sideways glance, almost as though admonishing the two for being late. It was obvious to the them her fury had not lessened in the slightest since last night, and though they were trained soldiers, there were certain occasions where the girl was nothing less than frightening in their eyes.

And this was _definitely_ one of those occasions.

Sword and Blade would _really_ rather not be on the receiving end of her wrath; however, it looked like they were going to be lumped right in with Meta Knight as if they were somehow responsible for him.

"Normally I would be turning down your offer to help, but I'm in a terrible bind right now..." Mayor Len sighed, turning around to stare at his more spacious than usual fields. "Jeremiah and I have searched high and low for the rest of the sheep, but there's only so much we can do while the fence is still down. Every time we think we have them all, some of them escape or someone tells us there's a few more running around town."

"Don't you keep track of how many sheep you own?" Bun asked with a frown, arms crossed. "I thought that kind of stuff was important for farmers to know."

"We do have a census on the sheep, but with so many of them coming in and out, we can't figure out how many are here and how many are still missing." The shepherd clarified. "They've been so high-strung lately; they won't even listen to the whistle anymore. We probably wouldn't be having this much trouble if we only had the wood we needed when this first happened, but people's houses take priority over a fence to keep animals in."

"So the problem is that you can't count them properly because the fence is destroyed." Fumu spoke up. "In that case, it's better to start by fixing the fence first instead of trying to gather the sheep. There should be enough lumber to spare now, and there aren't any predators that live this close to the village that could hurt them, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem to let the sheep wander for a while longer."

"If that's what we need to do, then the mayor and I will stay here and repair the fence, and all of you can look for the rest of the sheep that's nearby." Jeremiah recommended, lifting up a pile of stakes and a length of rope. "We can worry about finding the rest later. You can start by catching the one stuck on our roof."

"You mean that thing is still up there?!" Bun exclaimed in amazement, turning towards the mayor's restored house to see for himself. "Hey, how did you do the repairs on your house with it up there like that?"

"Very carefully." Jeremiah answered vaguely, crouching down to jab one of the wooden poles into the ground.

"Well, we aren't going to make any progress by standing here." Blade began. "I think splitting our group into half will be more efficient. Fumu, why don't you and I search the left side of the property and Sword, Bun and Gooey can start with the sheep on the roof as they work their way to the right.

"That sounds fine to me." Sword agreed. "Just watch, this'll be over in less than a minute." He raced over to the house and hopped his way onto the roof where the sleeping sheep was before anyone could say anything. He approached it and wrapped his arms around its middle, only for the usually gentle animal to wake up with a start and punt him to the ground.

"Well, he was right about one thing; that didn't take a minute at all!" Bun cackled, causing Sword to glare at him.

"Don't laugh! Just help me grab that horned demon wearing a costume of fluff!" He ordered, pushing himself back onto his feet and charging at the house with a resounding war cry no different than if the squire were on the battlefield.

"Let's...move on, shall we?" Blade exhaled, shaking his head as he led Fumu away to the opposite side of the mayor's estate.

 _"Before I die of second-hand embarrassment..."_ He mentally added, thankful that no one could see his rising blush while he was wearing his helmet.

 **(** _Scaena felix - Puella Magi Madoka Magica_ **)**

Blade held specific reasons for choosing to partner with the girl for this task. Sword and Blade had spoken of what had occurred the previous night, and the two had a small disagreement over whether or not they should involve themselves. The younger of the two, being more impulsive, wanted to confront Fumu directly and try to smooth things over between her and Meta Knight by acting as a proxy for their lord. Blade shut down his idea immediately, believing that continuously reminding her of their opposing viewpoints would only cause her emotions to fluctuate all the more.

The eldest brother had decided that approaching the issue with caution was the most proper response. Attempting to coax someone into understanding the person they were upset with while still wrapped up in rage was a pointless endeavor; waiting until she calms down a stretch more and distracting her mind until the moment was right seemed to be the logical solution from his point of view.

So, during their search, Blade kept the conversation lighthearted, shifting their topics mostly towards things that she enjoyed. Although matters of the heart were more of his younger brother's expertise, even Blade acknowledged that sometimes simply being there for someone when they were troubled and listening could do a great deal of good for that person's conscience. And it worked too; for perhaps the first time since last night; the blonde actually smiled.

The squires by no means picked favorites between the two, but Blade honestly felt a touch more connected to Fumu sometimes. They were both the older and more responsible siblings, and their younger brothers were both spontaneous to the point that it worried them at times. On the other hand, Sword had found a sense of camaraderie with Bun; their shared fun-loving attitudes had naturally drawn them together, and the younger squire's wildcard tendencies fascinated and entertained Bun, much to Fumu's growing concern that he would begin emulating this behavior.

Recognizing these similarities became a strong point of their talks while collecting the sheep close by. At first, there was only an awkward silence between them as they herded the peaceful animals. Soon enough though, Blade inadvertently began recounting a humorous story starring his brother after witnessing Sword getting thrown off the mayor's roof once again. Fumu followed up with a memory of her own involving Bun, and the uneasiness around them gradually melted away.

From there, she spoke of a variety of subjects: the progress they were making on rebuilding the village, how much Gooey had grown within the span of a few days, and even opening up enough to mention Kirby in a few of her stories without being reminded of the previous night. Only when the lattermost became present in their discussions did Blade consider his plan a success.

Blade's thinking process revolved around logic and reason, and he considered himself a seasoned strategist, but seeing Fumu back to her usual self filled him with a sense of warmness and pride that had nothing to do with the fact that his procedure went smoothly. By simply taking away some of the weight off of Fumu's shoulders, Blade felt as though a weight he hadn't been aware of had been lifted from his own shoulders, and yet he still wanted to do more.

In less than an hour, they had gathered up the sheep from the left side of the mayor's property. They coerced a dozen of them back into their enclosure, then they checked on how their younger brothers and Gooey were doing in their group. Sure enough, they heard a scream, a loud thud and then the clank of armor - Sword had been ejected from the roof again.

 **(** _Route 1 - Pokémon X and Y_ **)**

"Sword! Please don't tell me this is how you've been wasting your time!" Blade exclaimed, standing beside the other squire who was face down on the ground.

" _Bad_ sheep... _evil_..." He said in a muffled groan, shuddering from either anger or fear, or maybe even a combination of both.

"No, we started out trying to get that one down, but then we gave up and decided to come back for it later." Bun explained as he tugged on Sword's arm. "We've tried everything; going up there and grabbing it, luring it with a carrot, and Gooey even got it by the front legs with his tongue, but then he got kicked in the face. That was just our last plan, by the way."

"Pretty stars...!" The blob drawled, teetering around them with his eyes rolling in every direction.

"I think he'll be okay." Bun continued, jabbing a thumb in his direction. "Anyway, that sheep isn't going to come down without a fight, so I say we all climb up there and tackle the thing all at once and get this over and done with. Just take one big charge and jump on it."

"Bun, that's a _terrible_ idea." Fumu gaped. "First of all, that's dangerous. Two, I don't think Mayor Len and Jeremiah would be very happy with us bringing them a traumatized sheep. And three-"

She felt a wet tap on her elbow. She whirled around to face Gooey, now completely clearheaded and with a certain sparkle in his dark eyes.

"...Charge?" He asked, and everyone already knew with that one word exactly what it was the blob was suggesting.

"No, Gooey! Don't charge! Don't do that!" Sword raised himself up with his gloved palms, lifting one up to wave it from side to side for emphasis.

"...And three, we might cause the roof to collapse on the house! Then Mayor Len and his family _really_ wouldn't be happy with any of us!" Fumu carried on, sending a narrow-eyed look at the two younger brothers. "The both of you are going to be a bad influence on him!"

"Okay then, sis. So what do _you_ think we should do?" Bun asked, leaning forward, hands on his hips with a heavy sarcastic emphasis on the word 'you'.

"Just...give me a minute to think, okay?" She frowned, taking a hand to her chin in thought.

 _"It's fortunate she's calmed down now, otherwise Fumu would have most likely throttled him for that one."_ Blade thought, swallowing.

"This is a longshot, but...what if we try combining all of your ideas?" She put forward. "Maybe try using the carrots as bait, then two or three of us hold down the sheep without sending the poor thing into cardiac arrest?"

 _"You wouldn't be saying 'poor thing' if you had been the one kicked off the roof..."_ Sword mumbled in his mind, but didn't dare say it aloud in case Fumu snapped back to her previous state of irritation.

"Yes, that would take care of capturing it if all goes according to plan, but-" Blade started before he was cut off.

 **(** _Mission Possible (But Difficult Task) - Little Busters!_ **)**

"Whatever it takes to get this over with!" Bun agreed without hesitation, stuffing a handful of carrots in one of his overall pockets and beginning his climbing up the mayor's roof.

"Oh, and Sword?" She called out to the squire. "Please make sure my brother doesn't get himself maimed or killed, thank you!"

"Okay." He replied blandly, then thought to himself. _"Oh, I guess I'm just the sacrificial lamb in this situation..."_

"It's because you're wearing armor and he isn't." Fumu said instantly, as if she could read his thoughts.

 _"Still doesn't make it hurt any less..."_ This time, the girl didn't offer any response to Sword's inner commentary.

Once the two were on the roof, Gooey swung himself up and behind the sheep by using his tongue as a grappling hook. Gingerly, Bun stepped forward, then set the carrots a safe distance between themselves and the sheep. When the animal dropped its guard just long enough to nibble on the vegetable, that's when they pounced. Bun and Sword rushed on opposite sides of the sheep and seized it. The sheep bucked and kicked, then stumbled towards the edge of the building with the two still holding on. Fumu held her hands over her eyes and peeked through her fingers, expecting the worst.

Just when the two were about to fall, Gooey rushed into action. He charged at the animal, extending and wrapping his tongue around the sheep to pull them up. But even with his above-the-average strength, it wasn't enough to defy the laws of gravity. So, the blob chose to defy everyone's expectations instead - his body began to expand, stretching out until he looked like a thin circular sheet; in other words, a parachute.

The four gently descended until they were safely on their feet, sans Gooey. Jeremiah wrangled the unruly sheep the second its hooves touched the ground. The blob himself was spread out like a blanket, motionless, and for a terrifying moment, fear gripped the hearts of his new friends.

 **(** _Depression - Tomodachi Life_ **)**

"Gooey! **_Gooey!_** " Sword scrambled to him, holding the paper-thin Gooey in his arms. "Oh, Gooey, why did you do it? Say something to me, buddy!"

"Hey, he might just be tired, right?" Bun tried to stay positive. "Maybe he just passed out?"

"Bun, I...he's not moving. At all." Fumu said quietly.

Fumu, Bun and Blade crowded around the two concernedly, carefully prodding at the blue being hoping for some sort of reaction or response that indicated he was alive and well. When they got none, that was when Sword began to panic.

"Gooey, please! C'mon, Gooey... _Blade!_ Blade, y-you're the smart one! Do something! There has to be something you can do for him, right?!"

"I…I don't know! I have gained some medical knowledge through the years, but Gooey's biology, it's a concept entirely foreign to me!"

Sword started to whimper, holding Gooey closer to him. By now, Mayor Len and Jeremiah, as well as Hana and their triplet grandchildren had wandered over after seeing the pitiful state the blob was in. Bun started to sniffle and bury his face into his sister's quaking shoulder. Blade leaned forward to rest one arm around his brother, unsure if he should say something to comfort him or run off to find Dr. Yabui while knowing fully well the aged village doctor would have no clue how to help.

Suddenly, the flattened blob began to tremble, then instantly popped back to his former shape in no worse for wear. He smiled up at them, the tip of his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

"Gooey is okay! But Gooey is tired now...so Gooey rest."

Everyone let out a sigh of pure relief. He nuzzled up to Sword, then promptly fell asleep. The sound of his loud snores and the small trail of drool dripping down from his open lips had never been more welcome to the squires since he went under their watch.

 **(** _Spring - Harvest Moon: Animal Parade_ **)**

"Thank goodness! I thought there had been an accident!" Hana exclaimed, though she minded her volume when she caught sight of the sleeping blob. "I heard yelling and when I looked out the window, I saw all of you huddled around him while he was flattened out like that. I'm just glad all of you are safe."

Mayor Len and Jeremiah weren't quite finished with repairing the fence, so the remainder of Gooey's group decided to do as the blob and take a rest themselves. A while later, Hana brought out lunch to reward them for their hard work so far, and at the scent of food, Gooey's eyes snapped open and his attention was piqued. Rather than squirming out of Sword's arms, he opened his mouth like a hungry baby bird and waited for someone to feed him. The younger squire did so, taking a forkful of tomato from his salad and moved it closer towards Gooey. He happily slurped it up, then repeated his previous action.

"You're going to have him spoiled rotten in no time." Hana teased, chuckling to herself before saying in a much quieter tone, "I had no idea one of Sir Meta Knight's squires would be so good with children."

"Ah, well...Gooey said he was tired!" Sword sputtered, nearly slamming his helmet lower over his face. "C'mon, Gooball. We have to get all of your energy back with the power of vegetables."

Hana made Gooey his own salad so Sword wouldn't have to reduce his own portion size, but he still occasionally fed the blob even though he was perfectly capable of eating without assistance. He spoke of Kirby the most out of them all, but even Blade was admittedly somewhat envious of the bond Gooey and his brother had formed. While they were finishing their lunches, Mayor Len's grandchildren wanted to get a closer look at the blue blob.

"Wow, he's all squishy, but not in a gross way." One of the boys said as he poked him.

"What kind of animal is he? Is he your pet?" Another innocently asked.

"He's not an animal, sweetie. He's a little boy, just like the three of you." Hana gently corrected him. "Nobody seems to know what he is, but I suppose as long as he's friendly and stays healthy, that doesn't really matter in the end, does it?"

"So he's a kid too? You look kind of funny, but that stretchy thing you did was pretty cool! Hey, how long is your tongue? Don't you have any arms or hands, or can you make those too if you need them?" The third triplet bombarded him with questions.

"Gooey doesn't have much of a vocabulary yet, so he can't answer much through speech." Fumu informed the young Cappy. "But he does understand what people are saying to him, and he absorbs a lot of what he hears, so talking to him is the best way for him to learn."

"Oh, so he must be at about the same level as Kirby is now?" Hana asked, and the girl nodded. "That's wonderful! It'll be nice for Kirby to have someone around his own age to play and grow with. When I'm outside doing laundry, sometimes I watch him and the other children playing ball, and they can be so rough with him! Bun, how can you and your friends mistake that poor boy for your ball as often as you do?"

"In my defense, Kirby is all round and he's about the same size as one." He gave as an excuse. "We don't mean to do it; he's pink and he has eyes and feet and a mouth, and little nubby arms, but when you're in the game, all of a sudden, he just looks like a ball."

"Oh, and speaking of Kirby, how has the search for him been lately?" Mayor Len inquired, unaware of what was to come from this seemingly harmless question.

 **(** _Dispossession / Pluck Ver. - NieR Gestalt and Replicant_ **)**

"...He's in the Rainbow Islands, Mayor Len." She answered, quickly and bluntly.

"The Rainbow Islands? But that's not far from here at all! I mean, it's a miraculous thing that he wasn't sent as far away as we all thought, but why hasn't he come home, Miss Fumu?"

Sword and Blade swallowed hard on the last pieces of their salad, then silently looked at each other with recognizable mutual expressions of dread despite their helmets covering each other's faces.

It was a strange predicament for Fumu; she wanted to tell them exactly why Kirby wasn't here with them today, to throw all the blame and her frustration upon Meta Knight, who hadn't even bothered to inform the concerned people of Cappy Village that the young Star Warrior was found to dissuade any doubts they had and instead left it to her, Bun and his squires to relay that information if they wished.

And yet, something within the girl just couldn't allow herself to publically ridicule his good name. Perhaps she was still holding onto the pact they once shared and saw value in it where he obviously did not, or maybe she knew it was wrong to cast blame onto him for agreeing with Kirby's choice when the choice not to leave had been Kirby's from the very beginning, but whatever the reason, no matter how infuriated she was with the masked knight at the moment, she couldn't bear to badmouth him, publically or otherwise.

So, she opted to avoid the question altogether.

"Mayor Len, the fence is fixed now. We should go into the village to find the rest of your sheep. How many of them are missing now?"

"Well...fifty-two."

"Okay, we'll try to have them all back by the end of the day."

With that, Fumu stood up and walked in the direction of town, the rest of her group hurriedly following her lead. Mayor Len and Hana exchanged confused glances.

"...Was it something I said?" The mustachioed Cappy asked.

* * *

 **(** _Kine the Fish - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

It took some clarification on Kine's part, but Kirby complied with his strange request. The ocean sunfish's idea was that since the puffball was not as gifted a swimmer as he is, carrying Kirby this way was the fastest and safest way for them to travel the waves and what lied below. While they traveled underwater, Rick and Coo would continue to investigate on land in case the chamber turned out not to be submerged as they thought.

"That looks so weird..." Rick commented, pointing at Kirby's face peeking out from Kine's mouth.

"Hey, I know I'm not a grand ocean liner, but I can say I know most of my way around Ripple Field!" The fish responded clearly and concisely, _somehow_.

"Coo..." Rick's jaw dropped. "H-How did he-"

"It's best not to think about it for too long." Coo swiftly suggested before either of their imaginations could run away with them. "Kine is an odd fellow, so let's chalk it up as one of his many hidden talents. T-That should make some sense, shouldn't it?"

"I guess..." The hamster shrugged, just as perplexed and disturbed as his winged friend. "Hey, since you guys are going into the ocean to search, what are you going to do in those hard-to-see parts of the water? You said there were a lot of underwater caves in Ripple Field, Kine, and caves are dark. Do you have some sort of plan for that?"

"Uh..." He pondered over it for a moment. "I know! Kirby has his Spark ability! It can light up! So all he has to do is use it while we're underwater!"

Rick and Coo both gaped at the fish's obliviousness, rapidly urging him to dismantle the idea before the effort made to rescue him in the first place was wasted. Kirby hadn't caught onto their apprehension however, and used his ability as asked. Rather than frying Kine, both he and the puffball were lit up harmlessly like the holiday lights in the winter regions.

For the second time in the span of three minutes, Rick and Coo were rendered speechless. They began internally reciting the owl's earlier suggestion of not thinking too much about it and pushed the weirdness they had just witnessed out of their thoughts.

Everyone had agreed to regroup at the pier closest to the Rainbow Bridge before evening fell, with or without the third Rainbow Drop in hand. They bid each other good luck in their search and Kine dove into the lagoon with Kirby.

The ocean sunfish glided through the water with ease and even a sense of grace, maneuvering around the Glunks, Squishies and Blippers that called Ripple Field's ocean their home when Kirby and his other animal friends couldn't help but constantly bump into them. When in his element, the awkward clumsiness Kine showed on the surface was almost nonexistent.

Caverns carved out over the centuries were abundant underneath this island, sunken ruins that were never to see the light of the sun again and were left as habitats for the aquatic life to take over. Kine and several other sea creatures had made these areas their playground, mostly unaware of their cultural significance or the piece of treasure that was stowed away within them.

As they swam onwards, deeper into the heart of Ripple Field, the waters around them gradually became dimmer. Kine had explored these parts before, but not without an angler fish friend or bioluminescent buddy accompanying him. Only when the tunnels became thick as sludge did he ask for the brightness that the puffball could provide.

"Kirby, could you light the way? I couldn't see the Rainbow Drop if it were right in front of me!" The fish asked, forgetting that the stone he spoke of would actually give off a prismatic glow had it been in front of him.

Kirby focused the electrical energy inside his body to flow upwards to his skin. He had to be careful with how much energy he released, otherwise he might accidentally shock Kine. Thankfully the Star Warrior maintained control of the static he gave off and succeeded in safely illuminating them both.

"Hahaha! That feels a little funny! It kind of tickles!" Kine laughed loudly, his voice vibrating.

They traveled through the marine ruins for what seemed to be a long while. About an hour had passed, and Kirby was grateful that Kine filled the silence of their search with his chattering because searching the submerged structures alone would have been overwhelmingly lonely to the puffball. Being surrounded by sunken buildings that at one point in time were teeming with civilization was an unnerving sensation.

Eventually they spotted an ornate doorway at the very bottom of this lagoon's system of caverns, one that looked familiar to the young Star Warrior. He wriggled one of his small arms out and pointed Kine to it, aiming the light he gave off in its direction. The fish swam through the doorway and they were met with a similar hall to the ones discovered previously in Kirby's adventure. The chamber revealed itself to be dry, so Kirby took to investigating the rest of it himself.

 **(** _Rainbow Drop Chamber - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

He didn't have to go much further before he identified the mismatched patch of stone that signified the sealing of a Rainbow Drop directly beneath him. However, he quickly learned that the ability he had at the moment would do little good in breaking the seal. Kirby scanned the area around him to look for anything that could give him a more useful Copy Ability, but found nothing. He went back to where Kine waited, only for the fish to suddenly dart off after understanding why Kirby had come back empty-handed.

He returned with a rock a minute later and presented it to the puffball. Kirby then temporarily discarded his Spark ability in favor of inhaling the rock, his skin turning from green, to pink, then finally to a marble gray. A deep blue helmet with golden embellishments appeared on his head, a red plume sprouting from the back just above its guard; at the crown of the headpiece rested a golden star. Kirby had transformed into Stone Kirby.

With this other Copy Ability, he ran to where the loose section of stone was and took a large gulp of air, floating directly above it before activating his power. His hardened body came crashing down, the impact breaking through the flooring and into the small room where the colorful rays of light resided. Kirby approached the Rainbow Drop and took it from its pedestal.

The puffball dashed to where he had left the tentacle that gave him his Spark ability, swapping his Stone ability for it since he didn't want to tempt the odds by using the Rainbow Drop as a light source. He climbed back into Kine's mouth and the two began swimming their way out of the caverns.

"We found it! We actually found it! And I helped!" The ocean sunfish cheered. "We better hurry up and get to the surface soon. Rick and Coo should be at the docks any time now!"

As Kirby and his oceanic friend navigated through the blackened seabed pathways once again, the puffball couldn't help but fall into a sudden state of unease. He held the mystic stone in his possession protectively against himself, almost getting the sense that something, or rather _someone_ in the darkness was eyeing the relic with a covetous gaze...

* * *

Late afternoon had come to Dream Land, and the five rounding up Mayor Len's sheep were nearly finished with their work. They went into town and found themselves involved in the most bizarre game of hide-and-seek Dream Land had ever known. Sheep in the gardens, sheep in people's homes, and one flustered Cappy had flagged them down earlier in their search to tell them one of the animals had gotten itself lodged in his chimney. The sheep was rescued without having to dismantle the man's chimney, but at the price of Sword almost getting stuck himself.

 **(** _Horse Race - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_ **)**

Once they safely retrieved the sheep, Gooey chased them all the way back to Mayor Len's property on the outer rim of the village, bounding just behind the flock with his tongue flapping in the breeze. He kept them together and would pull any that tried to break from the formation back in line, acting more like a sheepdog than whatever he actually was. It was a spectacle that the people of Cappy Village were sure to never forget; a small googly-eyed blob herding a group of fifty or so sheep through the streets and outside of town.

Jeremiah quickly opened the fence gates and Gooey led the wooly animals into their grazing spaces, swiftly shutting and locking it after they were inside. The blob swung himself over the wooden railing and landed a few paces in front of Fumu, Bun, Sword and Blade with a smile on his face.

Mayor Len and the shepherd began counting all of their sheep to make sure they hadn't accidentally missed one. When all were present and accounted for, the elder Cappy gave a whoop of joy.

"I've been hearing about your good deeds in the village the past few days, but I never thought you would have been so capable with my sheep!" He praised, lifting Gooey up then setting him down to give him a pat on the head. "Hana and I may just have to keep you for ourselves and make you into a junior shepherd."

 **(** _6 PM - Animal Crossing: New Leaf_ **)**

A loud cough and a hard stare from Jeremiah caught the mayor's attention. "Oh, Jeremiah! You know I was only joking! No one can replace you."

"Well, a junior assistant wouldn't be so bad. Tending to the flock can be a lot of work for just one person sometimes." The other Cappy replied after mulling it over. "I heard Professor Curio found himself some help with digging in the ruins last week. Might be nice, actually."

"You're talking about Lololo and Lalala, aren't you?" Bun asked with a grin. "Yeah, those two liked working with the professor so much, they've started helping him out at the dig site on their odd days off. They've really gotten interested in playing with dirt lately. Maybe you'll find someone that likes sheep just as much!"

"Putting this talk of another shepherd aside, I can't even begin to thank you enough for today." Mayor Len cut in, twice extending his gratitude. "I've also heard some talk that hasn't been so nice about...Gooey, was it? Anyway, I hope that after today those nasty rumors will be put to rest, because I'll be applauding your good work for the rest of the week and the next, and maybe even the one after that!"

"You have no idea how much of a comfort it is to hear you say that." Blade said, moving to tug the blue blob back before he could lick the mayor in a gesture of appreciation. "We are grateful for you to have given him an opportunity to demonstrate himself."

"I admit, I did have my doubts at first, but now I can see that Gooey is a competent young... _ball_ that wants to do his best. He's paid his debt to society on my end, and has done a great deal towards rebuilding Cappy Village, so I see no reason to not let bygones be bygones."

Gooey beamed at all the positive recognition he was receiving, feeling satisfied with himself for getting this far while still acknowledging there was still much more work to be done.

"And, Miss Fumu? If I could have a word with you?" The older Cappy addressed her, twiddling with his hands nervously before taking off his hat. "I'm not sure what I've said to upset you, but I couldn't help but notice you haven't said a word. I may have been too much of a busybody earlier, asking questions like that. Even though I only asked out of concern, I hope you can forgive me."

"No, Mayor Len, it's all right. You haven't done anything to apologize for." The girl replied with fake cheerfulness. "I was being a little too sensitive, I guess. I just don't feel that much like talking today! Isn't that unusual for me? I hope I'm not coming down with a cold again! It's that time of year again, you know. Hahaha! ...Aha."

It was apparent to everyone that Fumu was not alright at all, and it had nothing to do with a nonexistent springtime cold, but thankfully the mayor didn't press further for answers. They said their goodbyes and the five began their walk back to Castle Dedede before evening came. It was almost time to begin cooking supper, but food was the last thing on anyone's mind after _that_ performance.

There it was again; that awful awkwardness had come to rear its ugly head.

Helping the mayor had kept her distracted for the most part, but now that today's task had been completed, Fumu's thoughts were allowed to wander once again. Last night and this morning too, the girl had felt an almost overwhelming sense of anger and betrayal, but now, only sadness was left - to those in her company, it was honestly more troubling than seeing her furious.

 **(** _Brown Spot Disease - Rewrite_ **)**

Sword sent Blade a pleading look that he knew all too well; the squire armored in darker green desperately wanted to do something. The other shook his head and held up his gloved hands, making an 'x' with his thumbs. Sword let out an inaudible groan, tossing his own head back and turning to Bun, looking for some form of support. The boy's lips pressed into a line, staring back at him with a hair-concealed gaze for the longest time, then he merely shrugged.

Gooey wasn't the best at picking up on certain moods, but as dense as he was, he could tell something was wrong even if he didn't know exactly why. So, the blob wanted to show that he was here and that he cared in his own slobbery way, but was yanked backwards by the three of them when the tip of his tongue was about half a centimeter from touching Fumu's arm. She noticed all four pairs of footfalls had suddenly stopped, and turned around to see Sword, Blade and Bun piled on top of Gooey with his tongue stretched out like a piece of measuring tape along the ground.

"Alright, what?" She asked in a hardened tone of voice, crossing her arms.

"What...what?" The younger squire pretended to play dumb.

"You _know_ what!" The blonde yelled without warning. "Here we are, halfway home, and none of you have said anything at all! You've been communicating with each other with...with weird hand signals and expressions, and then I turn around, and you're like _this_! No matter how you look at it, that's suspicious!"

"Ah, so you saw all of that..." Blade hung his head low, ashamed at having been caught.

"The jig is up, men." Bun whispered to them, wincing.

"What _'jig'_?!" She demanded, her previous temper returning. "All of you have been acting strange this whole afternoon, and I'm too tired to deal with it right now!"

Sword worried his lip; he was tired too, tired of ignoring the problem that was staring them in the face the entire day, tired of walking around eggshells. Blade told him to leave her alone to stew for the time being; to let her sort her emotions out, to be patient, but Sword was not a patient young man.

"Fumu, look...I know you're really upset. To be honest, I can't see how you couldn't be, but..." He began, wriggling himself out from the bottom of the heap. "This is about Kirby, isn't it? I know you want him to come home, but please don't be angry with Sir Meta Knight because he agreed with his decision to stay. I know it seems kind of cold of him from your point of view, but that's just how he is sometimes."

"Sword..." She took a deep breath through her nose, clenched fists trembling slightly. "I appreciate that you're trying to help, but I would really rather not discuss this. I said that I was tired and didn't want to talk."

"I'm sorry, Fumu, but we've held this off for long enough. The time to talk is now!"

"Sword, she blatantly stated she didn't want to discuss the issue, so we need to respect her wishes and stop placing any more pressure on her!" Blade asserted, hurrying forward and struggling to cover the other squire's armored mouth with his gloved hand in the hope that he would get the hint and shut up on the matter for good, but to no avail - Sword fought against his brother's palms by grabbing his wrists.

"Listen, Fumu! The way Sir Meta Knight thinks, it's like...like a chessboard!" He blurted out the first thing that popped into mind.

Well, the younger squire's exclamation was enough to still Blade's movements and earn strange looks from both Fumu and Bun. It was an odd comparison he had to admit, but somewhere during the wrestling match with Blade, his mind went back to earlier that morning when he himself began to wonder how to best describe the masked knight's perspective. That was what he came up with.

"A...A _chessboard?_ " Bun said, breaking the silence. "What in the Gamble Galaxy does chess have to do with Sir Meta Knight? I don't know anything about chess! If that was supposed to clear anything up, then I'm sorry, but you failed, Sword!"

"Then let me finish, would you? Sir Meta Knight is like a chessboard because you don't know how it's all going to turn out when you're the one watching on the sidelines, but the player, which is Sir Meta Knight, in this case, has strategies to get to the checkmate; so even if we don't know what he's doing or why, it doesn't actually matter, because he's thought ahead and is always looking at the other side of the board where the second player's king is!"

"...Someone here please tell me if any of that made sense to you." Bun said after a beat, already starting to feel his head throb - nobody had an answer for him.

"Sword, what were you hoping to accomplish with that analogy?" Blade inquired. "You don't even play chess."

"I swear this wasn't something I just thought of on the spot! He really is like one if you look closer into it, like... Fumu, let's just forget the weird metaphor. The point that I'm trying to get across is, sometimes trying to figure out what Sir Meta Knight is thinking is just too complicated, especially for someone who thinks like you do."

"Are you implying that I'm too _stupid_ to understand what he does?" She asked, her voice dangerously low.

"No, no! That wasn't what I was...!" He backpedaled immediately. "See, this is why I wanted you to help me out back there, Blade!"

"Uh, **oh stars**..." Bun gulped, quickly looking for any mode of escape from the conversation. "Hey, Gooey! I think we better go and look over there in case we missed any sheep, okay buddy?"

The boy then ushered Gooey away from the scene before either could witness anything that would give them nightmares about his own sister. As one of the blob's permanent temporary caregivers, it was also his role to make sure that Gooey didn't end up in the line of dodge due to his cluelessness in certain situations, or at least, that's the excuse that Bun would have given if someone had accused him of being a coward at the time.

But could anyone really blame him for running?

"No, Sword, I understand _exactly_ what you're trying to say. I get it." Fumu tightly crossed her arms, her eyebrows knitting together into a cold glare. "He's your lord, and he's incapable of doing anything wrong in your eyes, so of course, you're going to do everything possible to take up for him. I guess I've made you uncomfortable today with my bad mood seeing as _you are_ one of his squires."

"Fumu, no, that's not entirely why I wanted to get this resolved! I just wanted to get everyone on the same level of understanding, but you're really making this hard for me." Sword bit his tongue when he realized how bad that sounded; he let out a nervous chuckle. "I...am making things worse and worse, aren't I?"

"Yes, my dear sweet little brother, you are." Blade interjected, gently pushing him to the side. "Fumu, I apologize for my brother's rudeness, truly I do. However, this... _chat_ , yes, I'll call it that, has brought to my attention that you're carrying more stress on your shoulders and bitterness towards our lord than we first thought. Now, I'm not supporting Sword's actions, but I have registered that talking about your feelings on the matter may, in fact, be best - going by your own terms, that is."

"By my own terms?" Fumu raised an eyebrow, her irritation momentarily at a standstill. "And what if I don't want to talk about it at all; like I've been saying the entire time?"

"If so, then I will respect your decision and all attempts to force an answer out of you can and will either cease or be ignored entirely on your end. But leaving you to your own devices for the night and most of this morning seemed to do little good - even while I was letting you lead our conversations at the mayor's house, I noticed you looked exhausted, and frankly miserable. Sword may have spoken out of term, but he and I only have the best of intentions in mind for _both_ you and Sir Meta Knight in our hearts. So, Fumu, what will it be? The choice is yours."

Her mouth opened and closed; repeatedly. She still didn't want to disclose how she really felt all that much, but somehow, this was different than when Mayor Len or Sword tried bringing up discussing the issue. Blade gave her a _choice_ , and the freedom to do so, to say 'yes' or 'no' and not be judged for either was enough for the girl to reconsider her stubbornness.

 **(** _An Unwavering Heart - Pokémon X and Y_ **)**

"...Everyone seems to think that I'm overreacting or that I'm being too protective, but..." Fumu sighed a long sigh, allowing a moment of hesitance to creep in before finally opening up. "It's just, sometimes it feels like I'm the only one that remembers Kirby is a child - a very young child. I know he's done so many things that a regular person his age could never accomplish; fighting demon beasts one after another, ending an ages long war by defeating Nightmare, and it's because it was his destiny as a Star Warrior. But Star Warrior or not, he's still a child and needs someone to care for him like one. And through all of those moments, the good times and the bad, even when it was dangerous and looked like it was the end, I was there with him. But now..."

"I understand, Fumu." Blade sympathized with her. "Kirby has become an irreplaceable part of your life. Every day since his arrival in Dream Land, he's always been close by and under your watch. This is the longest and farthest the two of you have ever been apart. Although it's not quite the same, I would be just as devastated if Sword were in Kirby's place."

"Yes, but it isn't just that; there's so much more that goes into this." The blonde elaborated after the squire nodded for her to continue. "I was worried; I was so _so_ worried about the possibility of never seeing him again. Sir Meta Knight was doing everything he could to find him, and I actually thought that he was on my side and understood how strongly I felt about this. Then we found Kirby - he was never that far away from us to begin with, and I was so happy that he would be home soon. And then...Coo said he wouldn't go, that he actually refused two opportunities to come back. I know there were selfless reasons behind it, but...!"

Towards the end of her last sentence, she began to hiccup. Blade retrieved a clean white handkerchief from the pouch strapped to his side and offered it to her, but Fumu furiously wiped at her wetting eyes with her arm. The squire frowned, not that she could tell, and returned the fabric to its original place.

Sword shuffled uncomfortably next to him, feeling out of place. He moved to quietly leave, but Blade stopped him by discreetly placing a hand on his shoulder. He stayed glued to his spot, rubbing his arm nervously because he knew where this discussion was headed next - Sword felt torn, almost as if after listening to her plight, he and his brother would be forced to choose sides even though he knew that wasn't what was to come from this heart-to-heart.

The word 'hypocrite' bounced along inside his head - this discussion was what he had wanted, but in his hastiness, he never thought about the repercussions.

"Sir Meta Knight...I was so sure he was going to step in like he always did when we really needed him." Fumu carried on, her tearful expression replaced with an almost icy glare. "But he didn't. After searching for Kirby for over twenty-four hours, he let the matter go after being told where he was despite everything that's happened. I know he's a Star Warrior too. I know he's done his best to train Kirby in mastering his Copy Abilities. But to leave him alone in such an uncertain situation... He even _agreed_ with Kirby's decision... No matter which way you look at it... How can you call that being responsible?! It's because it isn't!"

 _"So, now we've gotten to the heart of the matter."_ Blade internally noted, jotting down every word of her argument in the journal of his mind and assessing each and every point she gave him.

"I respect that he's your lord, and I'm grateful for all the things he's done to help us and Kirby, but it's times like these where I start to question his reasoning, his motives! How can he seem so concerned one moment and then be so cold the next? Sword, was your chess analogy really so far off the mark? Because when I think about it now, maybe he _does_ see everything from that sort of view - where every piece on his side of the board are pawns! I know... I know how terrible that sounds, but that's how I really feel right now."

A spacious silence followed the conclusion of her rant. Once he was certain Fumu was finished speaking, Blade placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. For the first time in a long while, he wished he could remove his helmet so she could see the sincerity in his own expression at that moment. He and Sword were both somewhat shy about anyone seeing what they looked like underneath their armor, but they both considered Fumu and Bun trusted friends at this point - the squires trusted them with the knowledge of their true appearances.

Blade withdrew his hand from Fumu's shoulder and exchanged a concealed glance with Sword; they understood each other without the need for words. The two surveyed the area to make sure no one else was watching, then slowly, carefully, they removed their helmets.

"Fumu, we're doing this because we want you to know how genuine our sympathies are towards your problems." Blade began, not quite meeting her eyes. "It's difficult to indicate how someone of our occupation must feel when your face is always hidden - I believe that may be why Sir Meta Knight is such a mystery."

The girl's eyes widened and she was momentarily shocked into silence. Bun, who was observing from a safe distance away with Gooey, was struck with a sense of awe. One of his life's greatest mysteries had been solved in an utterly unexpected manner. Finally, after what seemed like hours to everyone present, Fumu then spoke at a nearly imperceptible volume.

"Can I ask you both something...?" She said, taking in their unmasked images. "Have you ever seen Sir Meta Knight's face?"

"We've never seen him without his mask. Not even once." Sword answered, talking for the first time since Blade took over. "There have been occasions where he took it off, like when he was ill, but he always told us in advance so we wouldn't accidentally walk in on him."

"Then can I ask another question? Has he seen you without your armor like this?"

"But of course." Both squires responded as if the answer were evident.

"...How does that seem fair to you?" Fumu questioned further. "Doesn't it seem unfair that he knows something that you must consider extremely personal, but he won't do the same for you?"

"No, not at all." Blade replied without a shred of hesitance. "While I can't say I fully comprehend all the things our lord does, if you want proof that warmth is in Sir Meta Knight's heart, then look no further than us. Remember that Sword and I were thieves, and we threatened him with our weapons for anything valuable he may have owned. He not only spared our lives from Chilidog, but gave us the opportunity to live honestly at his side. For this act of kindness, we owe him everything."

"It was a kind thing to do, but it would have been awful if he had done anything less." She said, crossing her arms again with a deep frown.

"Oh, Fumu." Sword mimicked her look. "You have no idea how things were back then on that star."

"He's absolutely right; in those times, on that star, the laws and ethics were not tolerable towards those like us, no matter the reason. Sir Meta Knight had no obligation to rescue us from that situation, from our rogue lifestyles. The norm of that star was if he hadn't left us as Chilidog's victims, he would have been expected to have dropped us off at the nearest prison where a punishment far worse than incarceration would have been waiting for us."

"...What kind of punishment?"

"I pray that you never find out."

"I...I never thought of it that way." She quietly admitted. "You were only trying to survive, but I didn't think that other stars wouldn't be as compassionate. Sir Meta Knight went against their regulations to save you both. Dorun's kleptomaniac relapses are the closest thing aside from the demon beasts this town has ever experienced that could be called criminal activity."

"I know this talk hasn't changed the reality of your predicament, but did it help at all? Even a little?" Blade inquired.

 **(** _Yonah / Pluck Ver. 2 - NieR Gestalt and Replicant_ **)**

"I can't lie; I'm still upset, but somehow getting that off my chest has made me feel better. But at the same time, I also feel guilty. I must have put both of you in an awkward position - just because I'm mad at Sir Meta Knight doesn't mean I have the right to express it, especially to his loyal squires. But I do appreciate what you're trying to do, Blade. And you too, Sword. Even though I'm still not sure where you were going entirely with that weird metaphor."

"To be honest with you, I'm not really sure where I was going with it myself, but thanks anyway."

"If it's brought you even the slightest amount of comfort, then I'm happy we could have this talk." Blade smiled, then he and his brother put their helmets back on. "Come on, then. Your parents will be getting worried if we dawdle around much longer. And Bun? You can come back now. And thank you so much for watching over Gooey during our chat."

The five then arrived at the castle without further incident. Sword, Blade and Gooey returned to their living quarters to find the breakfast they wrapped up for Meta Knight had been left untouched. With a sigh, they fed it to the nearly bottomless blue blob and immediately got started with preparing tonight's dinner. When they came back from the kitchen with dishes piled with food, they were startled to discover their lord sitting at the table.

"S-Sir Meta Knight!" They both stuttered nervously in perfect unison. "We weren't aware you were returning tonight! We'll have your dinner prepared posthaste!"

"Thank you, Sword and Blade, but you may stay at ease." He responded calmly, not put off in the slightest, but they had already scrambled back into the kitchen through the trap door nearby before he had even finished thanking them.

After all four were seated at the table, they began to eat, reruns of Channel DDD's programs serving as white noise. Sword and Blade weren't going to ask him where he had disappeared to, and Gooey was too occupied with stuffing his face to take notice of the uncertain air in the room. But somewhere during their quiet mealtime, the squires subconsciously and unanimously decided to address the issue on their minds to their lord.

"Um, sir...?"

He looked up from his donburi curiously, waiting for them to continue.

"We have something to ask of you." Sword spoke first, followed by Blade, "We weren't certain whether to share it or not, but we believe leaving it as is would be a worse decision. So, we were hoping you might have advice or a solution available for a problem of ours...?"

* * *

 **(** _It's Boss Time! - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

It wasn't long after obtaining the third Rainbow Drop that Kirby's uneasy gut-feeling manifested itself in the form of an ambush along the darkened deep sea trench. A creature with an appearance similar to an anglerfish attacked them without warning from the shadows. Kirby had almost mistaken the larger fish for an aquatic demon beast, but Kine corrected him when he voiced the thought aloud; this was an acquaintance and neighbor of his mostly known as Sweet Stuff.

Like Whispy Woods and Nruff, Sweet Stuff seemed to be under the influence of something sinister, snarling and chomping at them and sending out a troop of Squishies and small one-eyed starfish called Tincells to attack. Kine informed Kirby that she wasn't normally like this and that the anglerfish wasn't even that territorial, but they were forced to fight her.

Evading Sweet Stuff was impossible; she blocked all pathways of escape with her sturdy body and fired sparks and arrow-shaped lasers from her lure. Kirby and Kine teamed up to win against her until the rage in her eyes was gone. The anglerfish wasn't certain what she was doing in that part of Ripple Field's ocean, only recalling blacking out some odd hours before.

And, seconds prior to Sweet Stuff regaining her senses, Kirby saw it again - that thick black mist surrounding and exiting the scene. Even in the darker regions of the water, it was impossible for the puffball to miss.

He and Kine reached the surface by the docks where Rick and Coo were waiting for them, having to tell them why they were late. Another Rainbow Drop recovered, another Rainbow Bridge repaired, but the fact remained that the level of danger around them had not decreased since they first entered the Rainbow Islands.

Now the four were gathered around the fire built at the water's edge, having just finished the dinner they scavenged for. It was around this time yesterday evening that Coo flew to Cappy Village to deliver a message about Kirby's wellbeing with disastrous results when one of the intended recipients didn't show her approval after hearing the news. The owl hadn't told Kirby what happened afterward, the boy was long asleep when he returned to Big Forest, and he hadn't asked for any specifics upon awakening that morning, much to Coo's relief. He hadn't told Rick either, because he felt to do so was disrespecting the privacy between Kirby and his friends, though he did get a suspicious look from the hamster when he came back and seemed troubled.

The purple avian was unsure if keeping silent on the issue was the right thing to do, and even though he would be happy to continue sending news to Kirby's friends living at Castle Dedede, he would also rather not be the spectator of another family dispute.

Over the crackle of the flames burning the wood, Rick could hear the sound of soft footsteps; footsteps that were approaching their direction. He waited to be sure that he was correct, ears twitching, then jumped slightly in surprise when the footfalls grew heavy, almost as if the feet of who they belonged to were being dragged across the ground.

"Coo...are you hearing this?" He whispered, turning to the owl.

"Just now, yes." He answered, then faced Kine. "Kine, do you know of any land animal here that could make such a sound?"

"N-No..." The fish shakily replied, his shivering creating small ripples on the water's surface, and it wasn't because of the sudden unusually frigid breeze that passed through.

"...Poyo?" Kirby's eyes snapped open from his state of almost sleep at the snap of a twig close by. "Hewwo?"

No one answered the pink puffball; his voice was swallowed up by the darkness around them. The footsteps echoed loudly, almost like thunder, then they stopped just outside of where the fire lit up the area. Coo was a nocturnal bird with vision equipped to see through the night; he let out a petrifying squawk.

There, at the edge of the campfire's light, was His Majesty King Dedede's towering figure.

His eyes were wide open with a distant gaze, his posture uncomfortably slumped, and black mist came off in waves from his body. He took another step further, and Rick, Coo, and Kine huddled closer to Kirby out of fear and protectiveness all at once. One more step and he was directly in front of the fire, his head slowly, mechanically tilting towards the young Star Warrior.

 **(** _Hakudoushi - Inuyasha_ **)**

"Give them...give them to me..." King Dedede drawled, his voice sounding as though he had gargled sharp pieces of gravel. "The stones...give them to me!"

Kirby grabbed the three Rainbow Drops and quickly stood up, backing away from him. The request had been in Dedede's voice, but the puffball wasn't so gullible that he would immediately believe the king was free from his possession - that was not the behavior of a man in control of his actions.

" **GIVE THEM TO ME!** " He roared, now in his possessor's voice, arms reaching out towards him. The sentence sounded less a demand and more of a plea. " **GIVE THEM TO ME! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW!** "

"No!" Kirby yelled in defiance, standing up and bouncing from one foot to the other. Should he run away, or would his friends be put at risk if he did?

Taking advantage of his hesitance, the being possessing King Dedede manifested those spindly-fingered clawed hands at the ends of two long, black shadowy arms. The fire was instantaneously snuffed out, and one of its arms swung at Kirby in the dark. Coo flew forward and snatched the boy by the head and threw him out of harm's way. Rick rushed over to him and strapped the puffball to his back and started sprinting. Kine followed the two's getaway with sending a large wave crashing over the possessed king.

The fish then dove underwater to avoid the blackened fist thrown his way. Coo soared through the night sky to catch up with Rick and Kirby, turning back only to scratch at the eye that formed on the palm of the hand that stretched out to pluck him from the air. He stumbled forward through the murkiness and charged at the prismatic glow ahead - the Rainbow Drops in Kirby's grip were leading him to them.

Rick tripped over a rock in the darkness and Kirby was flung from his shoulders. He couldn't stop; he rolled off a tall cliff and landed on his back on the sandy beach below, his body's security system activating before he could break any bones. The fall had sent him into a temporary state of immobility, allowing the possessed king to jump from the same cliff and eerily float down next to him.

Kirby weakly shuddered from his place on the sand, clutching the trio of Rainbow Drops in his paws tighter. He tried to roll over on his stomach and protect the relics underneath him, but all he succeeded in doing was slightly turning on his side. A shadowy hand hovered over him, a familiar portal was summoned with the other.

This was it. He was going to be lost to the void again.

"It is over." The being muttered lowly, its claws outstretched.

However, the very second it touched one of the Rainbow Drops, it recoiled as if scalded and let out a spectral wail. The portal it had opened was fizzled out by the light from the stones, and the shadowy arms began melting like a chocolate bar left out in the summer heat. During its pained outcries, Kirby had found movement in his limbs again. He rose to his feet and shoved the colorful shining stones at him, ripping another frenzy of screams from the cycloptic creature. Before he could entirely draw out the malevolent entity from King Dedede, it raised the king into the space above them and fled, becoming untraceable by the time Coo and the others had found the puffball.

"What...what just happened?!" Rick exclaimed, throwing his paws around Kirby. "Are you hurt? Did that thing do anything to you?"

Kirby quickly shook his head from side to side, returning the hamster's gesture. Everyone was tingling with a nervous energy, frightened out of their wits from the unexpectedness of it all.

"I believe I've deduced part of what's been going on." Coo was the first to speak after a long silence. "It may be possessing the king's body, but it can temporarily manipulate the minds of others for a short period. Whispy Woods, Nruff, Sweet Stuff...they were being partly influenced by that thing. It was using them to obtain the Rainbow Drops. For what purpose, I can't be certain, but it can't be good. But now that we know it can't touch them directly, it's likely that it's gone to find more people that can steal them in its place."

Another quietness that was far too drawn out progressed.

"I should tell someone at the castle about what's happened...to let them be on their guard in case if he were to come back there. Kirby, what would you like to do from here when morning comes? Should we continue our search for the rest of the Rainbow Drops?"

Suddenly, Kirby fell backwards and onto his rear due to exhaustion. He gave a weak 'poyo' as the hamster lifted him into his paws. In less than a minute, he was asleep. Coo sighed and turned to Rick and Kine, asking them to make another campsite where they were rather than trek back to the previous one in the dark before taking off into the starry skies and flying over the ocean separating the archipelago from the mainland.

* * *

Each person had their own way of handling stress, some more effective than others. Escargon had spent his past few days without the king barking out orders to the Waddle Dees and cleaning the castle from top to bottom to the point of obsession. That was his method of coping with tragedy in the eyes of the public.

 **(** _Spring Breeze (piano) - CLANNAD_ **)**

Yet another mealtime had passed for the cabinet minister's family, and it was no less strained than breakfast that morning, but instead of anger being the presiding emotion in their daughter, only a sense of emptiness seemed to remain. Parm and Memu were more concerned than ever for Fumu's state of mind, their normally talkative girl playing around with the food on her plate and responding with simple 'yes's, 'no's, and half-committed utterances.

As soon as she was finished with her course, she excused herself to their balcony where she sat outside looking at the stars for over two hours. Evening transitioned to night, and the sky was decorated with the glittering orbs. Astronomy had become more of an interest to her only after Kirby had arrived in Dream Land and she learned of his galactic origins - Fumu wanted to learn more about the worlds where he may have come from, even if this country and Pop Star would always and forever be his true home.

At least, she continued to hope this place would always be home to him.

She remembered interrogating Meta Knight on the specifics regarding where the pink puffball may have been born, but he only gave the impression of dodging her questions with vague responses each time. Sometimes he wouldn't offer her a response at all. It was during those instances where she wondered if he was annoyed with her; his emotions were difficult to deduce more often than not, even with his color-changing eyes that indicated how he felt. His eyes were yet another puzzle that remained unsolved to her.

"Oh dear, she's been out there for a long while now." Memu murmured to her husband. "It's cold this time of year; she might get sick if she keeps this up."

"I saw Fumu take a warm blanket out with her, so maybe we won't have to worry about that, at least." Parm replied with a furrowed brow, then calmly turned to Bun. "Do you know anything about this, son?"

"Well, to be honest with you, yes and no." The boy dubiously mumbled with his head down, sitting on the couch in front of the TV though he paid no attention to the programs on the screen. "Sis has a lot going on inside her head right now, and that's all I can say for sure."

"Sweetie, I'm not trying to force an answer out of you, but you know that you can trust us with any problem, right?" His mother asked, bending down to his height. "We're your parents. We may not always understand what you're both going through, but we are always here to listen."

"Actually, about today..." Bun began talking before he could stop himself, but was interrupted by a soft series of knocks at their door.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Memu audibly mused, followed by a sigh as she went to answer it.

 **(** _Dianthus Armeria - Dreaming Mary_ **)**

Waiting behind the family's doorway were Sword, Blade and Meta Knight. The squires parted to allow their lord to step forward, the masked knight taking the hem of his cape and giving a slight bow of courtesy to her before speaking.

"I apologize for arriving unannounced, and at such a late hour as well, but may I come in?" He inquired, acting the part of a perfect gentleman.

"Yes, of course." Memu replied, moving aside so their unexpected visitors could enter. "...Is everything alright? Has something happened?"

"No, not at all." He said, making his way across the living room before abruptly stopping in his tracks. "Well, nothing to be alarmed over, I'm sure."

"So, what brings you to our household, Sir Meta Knight?" Parm asked rather offhandedly until he remembered his manners. "Would you like me to make you a cup of coffee, or...?"

"No, but thank you." The knight replied with a hint of swiftness.

"He _**hates**_ coffee..." Sword leaned over and whispered to Bun when he noticed the boy's puzzled look at Meta Knight's response; he thought all adults loved coffee and would perish without it.

"And what about you, Sword and Blade? Would you like some?" Parm asked again.

The squires looked to their lord as if seeking his approval; he may have groaned if not in other company, but gave a single discreet nod to them - they bobbed their heads at Parm, giving a small bow and thanking their host as they were taught before taking seat on the couch with their mugs filled with the brown liquid.

"Would you happen to know where Fumu might be?" Meta Knight inquired, cutting to the chase now that the formalities were over.

"Oh, she's out on the balcony, but..." Memu bit her lip as she glanced at the windowpane doorway. "Fumu isn't feeling well today. She hasn't been well since last night, actually, and I doubt she's had much sleep since then, so I can't guarantee how cooperative she'll be."

"I'm well aware, Lady Memu." He stopped at the foot of the entrance to the balcony, turning slightly, awaiting her permission before going any further. "That's why I came here tonight if I am to be truthful. It's of utmost importance that I speak with her."

A glimmer of realization shone in Memu's eyes; not all of the pieces, but some of them were beginning to click into place. Ignoring her husband's displays of confusion, she motioned for the knight to proceed. Sword and Blade slid off the cushions and moved as if to trail after him, but he rotated halfway and sent them a certain look that, despite the metal concealing his face seemed to say 'must you take every step I do?'. They shuffled back to the couch.

Bun tilted towards them and asked, "What's going on? Why is Sir Meta Knight really here?"

The squires didn't answer, only staring down at their coffee with the postures of children that were caught in the act of causing trouble.

 **(** _Leder's Gymnopedie - MOTHER 3_ **)**

Meta Knight closed the door behind him with a soft click, then stepped towards Fumu. Her back was to him, and she honestly didn't know that he was there until she heard the telltale sound of his armor clinking a breath away from her. The blonde still didn't turn to face him, even when he began speaking to her as if nothing were wrong, as if he never created this rift between them in the first place.

"I spoke with Coo not too long ago; Kirby and his team had an unfortunate encounter with King Dedede. The being possessing him attacked them, but no one's injuries were too severe. We've discovered Kirby can't be sent through another portal anymore - the stones he's been gradually collecting appear to be protecting him."

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked coldly, vicious words escaping her mouth before she could swallow them down. "Did you come here to announce that just to prove that you were right? That he's doing fine on his own?"

"No, I only thought that you would have liked to have known."

"Is that all, then?" She finally turned to face him. "That couldn't have been the only reason you came here if you aren't trying to prove your point."

"Forgive me if I'm incorrect, Fumu, but I detect a hint of hostility in your tone." He continued, taking one more step to stand by her at the edge of the stone railing. "I am aware, Fumu, of your exact feelings towards me at the moment, and why."

"How do you know that?" She questioned, eyes narrowing.

"Well, I was informed by two concerned individuals, at least, that's what I could say, but-" A low chuckle then came from his throat as his armored shoulders shook lightly, his eyes glowing a vibrant pink. "The truth of the matter is, you could say Sword and Blade...tattled on you."

" _Ugh!_ I knew I shouldn't have said anything to Blade! I actually trusted them!" She exclaimed, tugging her blanket tighter around herself in a manner that ironically resembled him with his cape.

"In all seriousness, though; I am not of the conversational sort, but leaving this unchecked will only allow it to fester like an untreated wound - please excuse my morbid comparison." Meta Knight appealed, holding out his gloved hand as if expecting her to take it, though that wasn't his intention. "I would like for us to understand each other."

"You're saying that _you_ want to talk?" She scoffed. "I've done enough talking for today; I don't feel like it at all, especially not now."

"Well, perhaps I could stop by tomorrow and we could resume this discussion then?"

He had made himself perfectly clear, even when curtaining his proposed alternative with a veil of politeness; he was not going to leave her or this subject alone.

"Fine, there's no ground in holding it off until then." Fumu conceded with a half sigh, half groan as she rested her cheek against her palm, propping her elbow on the railway. "So, where do you want to start? The part where you tell me how Kirby is maturing and eventually won't need me, the part where we debate over how I'm apparently mad at you, or the part where we both think on why Sword decided to compare you to a chessboard when he doesn't even know anything about chess? Or did he not tell you that part when they tattled on me?"

"No, no, he told me about that as well." Meta Knight chuckled, eyes glowing pink again. "However, there is a method in which we can discuss all three simultaneously. With...this."

Her mouth fell agape as he presented to her a chess piece, a white pawn that he retrieved from who knows where; to her, it looked as if it came from the inner designs of his cape, but surely it didn't...

"A chess piece." She said skeptically. "And...this has something to do with Sword's whacky metaphor, doesn't it?"

"Precisely." He nodded, raising the piece. "Rather, it would be more accurate to say I found inspiration from his 'whacky metaphor'. You see, this pawn is how I perceive Kirby."

Fumu's shoulders stiffened at that, her jaw set tight. It was true that her harsher emotions towards him had subsided for the most part after speaking with Blade, but to hear Meta Knight call him such a thing – a pawn, the lowest rank of chess, and _so boldly_ at that - it sent her fury to an all-time high.

"So that's how you see Kirby?" She spat, scowling at him. "You see him as _**your**_ pawn, don't you?"

Meta Knight gave a long sigh, ignoring her unpleasant tone.

"I see further explanation is in order."

She had her back to him yet again, but when she heard the sound of shuffling behind her that became too curious to ignore, she turned around to question him, only to witness Meta Knight pulling an entire chessboard from the interior of his cape and setting it on one of the round tables on her family's balcony. Rendered speechless from the absurdity of it all, she watched, utterly dumbfounded as the masked knight began arranging various chess pieces in their designated places, and she swore she could hear him faintly humming a solemn-sounding tune to himself.

"Which color would you prefer?" He asked casually.

"Sir Meta Knight, what do you think you're..." She buried her face into her palm. "You said so yourself that this was supposed to be a serious discussion, and now you're wanting to play games? Forget it. I'm going inside."

"Allow me to make this more interesting, then." He called out, successfully grinding her to a halt. "This game of chess will ultimately decide Kirby's future, so to speak. Do you understand my proposal?"

She whirled around and hurriedly walked to the table, looking over the chessboard with lips pressed in a firm line. "I'll take the white side."

 _"Like a fly ensnared in a spider's web..."_ He thought to himself as he pulled out a chair for her.

"What a gentleman." She remarked dryly rather than thank him, already having made her first move on the board.

"I do my best." He went along with her wit. "My favored piece of chess is actually the pawn."

"I would have thought it was the knight."

"Everyone does on the first match against me." He chuckled, almost darkly. "They learn."

And learn she most definitely did. Even in a chess match, Meta Knight pulled no punches. Really, she should have known better than to have ever accepted his wager. As intelligent and skilled a player as Fumu was, she hadn't had the opportunity to play against many people - chess was not a game most residents of Dream Land enjoyed. Instead of challenging her to a duel with the sword, he had engaged her in a battle of wits; his pieces glided across the board and his main players being _pawns_.

He was absolutely _**ruthless**_.

"Checkmate, I win." He said, leaning over the table to pluck the white king from her side of the board, her expression no different than if Kirby was being taken from her all over again.

"So, I guess that's it, then." She struggled to hold back her bitter tears of loss, but she internally promised herself beforehand that she wouldn't cry in front of him. "You won, so Kirby's not coming home. That's what this was about, right? This is what you wanted."

"I never said anything of the sort." Meta Knight replied, surprising her. "I can't act too surprised; I did propose this game for a specific purpose, a lesson, for lack of better wording, but it seems to have sailed over your head. Your desire to win ended up overshadowing that. I apologize; I shouldn't have deceived you. From this point, I will be straightforward."

Before she could get him to clarify himself, he began returning all the pieces to their original positions, and she thought he was going to challenge her again, but he took a white pawn from her side of the board and stood up from his chair.

"I will now elaborate on why I see Kirby as a pawn." He proceeded, placing it back where it belonged. "A pawn is indeed the rank of chess with the least amount of value, at least, at the beginning of the game. Therefore, the word 'pawn' carries a negative connotation - something existing to be manipulated. However, in chess, a pawn is a formidable thing, if given the opportunity to mature. Pawns may transform into any of the other ranks of chess that the player wishes, all except a king. However, this is fine, because a king is nothing grand for a pawn to become."

"I can see where you're going with this, kind of, since Kirby can transform by copying abilities. But why would Kirby, I mean a pawn, becoming a king be a bad thing, disregarding the game's rules, that is?"

"Because a king, while it may move on the board wherever the player pleases by one square per turn, its main purpose is to be protected. Kirby is a Star Warrior, Fumu. His purpose is to _protect_ , not _be_ protected as one would a king."

"But you...you told me several times that if I didn't protect Kirby, he would be done for!" She shouted in an accusatory tone. "Or have you forgotten?"

"No, I haven't forgotten. And please be patient, Fumu. I am not finished." He then hopped down from his chair and stood next to her, moving her white pawn by one square, and then two. "Back to pawns; they have the most complex forms of movement. A pawn moves straightly forward by one square, if that square is vacant. If it has not yet moved, a pawn also has the option of moving _two_ squares forward. In life, sometimes one must stand still and contemplate in order to move forward, although each player _must_ move a piece when it is their turn. Additionally, pawns can never move backwards. If Kirby were to move back a square, his quest to the other side of the board would be stunted, and he would become a king."

"And you've already expressed how you feel about kings." The girl quipped, his extended metaphor even beginning to give her a headache, but not due to a lack of comprehension - her sass again went largely ignored.

"When a pawn completes its journey across the board, it may transform into the rank the player chooses." He nudged the pawn along to his end of the board. "Kirby too is embarking on a journey across his own board, and will continue to do so countless times throughout his life. However, whenever he reaches the end of the board, no one can decide what rank Kirby will be promoted to; that is his decision alone, and where he differs from a pawn. We can influence his choices, and there will be times where it is recommended, but ultimately Kirby has free will, does he not?"

"Yeah, you're right..." She frowned, realizing that even if she did directly demand Kirby to come home, there was still a chance he wouldn't heed the commands of even her - it was a humbling concept for her to accept.

"Finally, only once a pawn has been promoted can it truly begin moving backwards." He moved the piece as he spoke, eyes glowing blue. "There are times when retreating is necessary, in order to assure the safety of the piece. You accuse me of not considering Kirby's own protection, of not watching over him closely with his wellbeing in mind? Are the eyes of a chess player ever to stray from _any_ piece on the board?"

"No...no they're not." She agreed, giving a weak laugh. "I think I understand now... Sword actually was right. A chess board really is how you see the world."

"Again, I owe him for the idea. But there is one final matter that needs to be settled." He took the white pawn and placed it in her open palm. "Now, it's your turn. I said there were times when others would influence Kirby's actions, and this is one of them. This is rather hypocritical of me after feeding you such a long-winded figure of speech, but I am placing his fate in your hands entirely. I did say his future would be decided at the conclusion of this game. That was no ruse."

"S-Sir Meta Knight...you don't mean-"

"Yes, Fumu, I am giving you a choice, no strings attached." He nodded, the color of his eyes shifting to green. "Either you allow Kirby to continue his journey without our interference, or say the word, and I will personally travel to the Rainbow Islands and have him delivered to you by sunrise."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Alright, since I've once again broken the record for After Story's longest chapter, I'll try to keep this author's note more brief than the past few - you're probably all tired. Firstly I would like to say that this is my absolute favorite chapter so far; it was a joy writing it from beginning to end. I started writing it immediately after posting chapter 7. I know the scenes taking place in Dream Land's mainland took prevalence in this chapter, and I even had to cut Sweet Stuff's boss fight short to allow everything else to fit in, but if I had to do it over again, I still wouldn't change a thing about this one.

Writing Meta Knight's actions and dialogue felt very natural to me. The chess metaphor from earlier in the chapter was supposed to be a once-mentioned comparison, but it branched out into a lengthy analogy on Meta Knight's point of view later on and towards the end - I think it's accurate for this incarnation of his character, as strange as it sounds without elaboration. He's an enigmatic character, but I like how he can perform some of the strangest actions and make it seem so natural - like the episode where he was seen grocery shopping at five in the morning. Him doing normal everyday things is funny to me.

Also, how did you like Sword and Blade's big unmasking? Yes, I didn't go into any detail at all regarding their true appearances without their helmets, and it had nothing to do with the word count. It was perhaps this chapter's biggest gag in my opinion; a grand reveal that ultimately remained unrevealed. So, feel free to imagine them however you like, I guess.

Concluding, there's so much more I could say about how much went into the making of this part of the story, but I might end up writing an author's note the length of this chapter if I did that.

So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	9. Iceberg

Chapter 9 - Iceberg

Rick, Coo, and Kine awoke much earlier than they were accustomed to, when not even the stars in the sky had disappeared from view. It wasn't too surprising to any of them, though, since no one could sleep securely after the ambush last night by the campfire. What did shock the three was the absence of the pink puffball under their care, his makeshift bed of grass noticeably vacant when they came to consciousness.

Everyone immediately flew into a panic the moment they realized Kirby was missing as images of the previous night entered their thoughts. As unlikely as it was, the possibility of the young hero being kidnapped while they slumbered and couldn't watch over him still existed. Eventually, Coo did restore some order to their jumbled up trio by reminding them that the pink puffball had a tendency to wander off on his own and suggested they search for him before jumping to any conclusions.

 **(** _On the Beach at Dusk - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

To their luck, they didn't have to cover much of Ripple Field before they found him; he was standing on an empty beach, staring off into the blue-violet distance, the expression on his face difficult to decipher. Kirby turned around and murmured a small 'sorry' to his friends when Rick blew up on him for scaring them all, but returned his attention to the horizon as if expecting something. Puzzled, the three waited along with him in silence, right until the sun began its ascension into the morning sky. A small smile appeared on the young Star Warrior's lips, almost seeming sad - this was what he had wanted to see. He watched until all of the stars in the sky faded away, their twinkling drowned out and no longer visible through the rays of sunlight.

"You came out here to see the stars and the sunrise?" Rick asked, receiving a nod from him in response. "That's all well and good, but why didn't you wake one of us up? We wouldn't have gotten mad."

Kirby shrugged, then let out a loud yawn. In the dawning light, it was easy to see that somewhere between last night and this morning, he had developed faint circles under his eyes. It was then that they knew he had not only ventured out into the night alone, he hadn't slept at all despite his falling unconscious, unlike the rest of them who found some amount of rest when not tossing and turning. Everything that had happened so far did place some amount of weight onto his shoulders, it seemed.

It was dwelling over his mistake that kept Kirby awake; he had the perfect opportunity to save the king and the means to do so, and yet he had wasted it by trembling in Rick's arms rather than giving chase when the monster chose to flee. Now he would have to go to the trouble to track down the missing monarch all over again because of his hesitance, though he still meant to gather the remaining four Rainbow Drops, as he had a suspicion that while the three in his possession wouldn't be enough to defeat the cycloptic creature, they would have most definitely been enough to free Dedede from its hold.

The puffball hadn't meant to worry his friends; he only wanted something to calm his mind after waking with such a muddled head. He was so used to the regular formula of fighting the threat and saving the day in one fell swoop that this ongoing adventure was beginning to wear on even him. He was tired, hungry, and terribly, terribly homesick.

But he wouldn't go home; he had already made that decision as early as his time on Grass Land. Every moment he spent not looking for a Rainbow Drop was another moment King Dedede was suffering from the whims of his new master, and this newfound revelation was enough for Kirby to feel a significant amount of guilt over even the occasions where he had stopped to eat during their journey. Even now while looking at the gorgeous sunrise and the glittering stars earlier in order to lift his spirits, he couldn't completely escape from that guilt.

There was yet another island waiting for them to be explored, and his companions were now wide awake; there was no more reason to stay at this place. The pink puffball stood on the tips of his feet and stretched his muscles, trying to will himself to stay alert, then turned to gaze at the Rainbow Bridge visible from the beach. He pointed to it while facing his friends, saying,

"We need d'a go d'here."

 _'We need to go there'._ The meaning of his sentence was understood, but Kirby himself found it frustrating that his pronunciations were often slurred due to his lack of front teeth. He was told they would be growing in soon, but _when_ was what he would have also liked to have known. Aside from his forgetfulness when remembering certain words, it was his greatest setback in being comprehensible.

"Now hold on just a minute there, buddy." The hamster stopped him by taking his arm, effectively grabbing his attention. "Don't you want to stop for a little bit to eat and maybe take a nap before rushing to the next island? I know you're eager, but the rest of us have gotta at least eat before we take off."

The grumble of his gut betrayed Kirby's intentions, crying out for food so loudly that it startled even him. Rick, Coo and Kine started laughing, and he found himself doing the same. He sent a mental apology to King Dedede for his weakness then joined his friends for a Ripple Field-style breakfast, though Kirby insistently refused their suggestions of taking a nap, as nice as one sounded to him. Shortly after, they crossed the Rainbow Bridge, which led them to the next island: Iceberg.

* * *

 **(** _World 4: Iceberg - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Iceberg was a land of wintery wonders to someone who had lived and grown in a warm southern country. Despite technically being considered as part of Dream Land's territory and located directly between the tropical Ripple Field and the dry and arid Red Canyon, the island was covered in never melting ice and snow. Mighty glaciers dotted the land and sea, and flakes of white gently danced down from the gray skies above. It was a land locked into a perpetual winter.

Such a habitat would be difficult to traverse for those who came unprepared; however, Rick and Coo were covered in a thick layer of fur and feathers respectively that made the disadvantages found in colder temperatures practically nonexistent to them. Kine seemed to find little inconvenience swimming through the arctic waters, and Kirby found himself strangely capable of adapting to any environment he had come across so far, though he did shiver at the frigid breeze occasionally.

They immediately set to work on obtaining the fourth Rainbow Drop, searching along the edges of the island as a group for nearly an hour before eventually deciding to temporarily separate. Kirby had let his fifth yawn escape him since coming to the island, and his exhaust was beginning to show in the way he was dragging his feet rather than the usual noticeable pop in his step. It was when he almost tripped and fell into a hole cut into the ice for fishing that everyone begged him to reconsider that offer of a nap.

"Are you still sleepy, Kirby?" Kine asked as he swam beside them; Kirby gave a slow nod.

"You can take a nap if you want to. I'll carry you." Rick suggested, hunkering down so he could climb on the hamster's back. "Some people feel like sleeping when it gets cold, but it doesn't bother me that much because of my fur coat. Just rest up tight and we'll take things from here, okay?"

The puffball gave in without argument this time. Within five minutes, Kirby shut his heavy eyelids and was out cold, his grip on Rick's shoulders loosening slightly but still tight enough to keep from slipping as his soft snores filled the quietness around them.

"Aww, you'll be a great dad one day, Rick." Kine cheerfully commented.

"You think so?" He laughed, lowering his volume though knowing it wasn't necessary. "I'll need to find the right girl and get married before that, Kine. Some of us are still single pringles, you know."

"I'm sure you'll find her someday, Rick! I did!" The fish went ahead of the three by a few paces. "Hey, since Iceberg seems to be pretty big, I think I'll go on ahead and search the watery places here. That way, maybe we can find the Rainbow Drop twice as fast. You can't look around the whole island if you're sticking by the water's edge with me, after all."

"Kine, are you so sure about that?" Coo questioned him nervously. "Even though there's far more land to travel here, I'm certain Iceberg has its own hazards underwater..."

"I'm sure, Coo! I know I've had a knack for getting into trouble before, but I think I know what I'm doing."

"He _thinks_?" The hamster leaned over to mutter to the owl.

"Why don't we meet at the docks in a few hours or so? It should be about halfway across the island from the bridge, so that should give the both of us plenty of time to look around for anything suspicious. I'll let you know then if I've found anything!"

Without giving them an opportunity to disagree, he dove beneath the icy waters, giving them 'good luck!' before submerging completely. Rick and Coo exchanged concerned glances; they knew he only wanted to help, but as Kine himself had said, dangerous situations seemed to follow him at every turn. With him already well out of earshot, they would have to trust in their fishy friend's natural aquatic abilities until they regrouped later.

 **(** _Iceberg - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

The land exploration team made their way through the tundra first, trudging through the snow that gradually piled up at their feet. They trekked through valleys, into icy caves and to the far side of a winding pine forest with not a single hint towards the location of the hidden chamber to be found. The minutes soon turned to hours, and during their hunt, Kirby still slept soundly.

When their time apart from Kine was coming to an end, Rick and Coo hoped he had more luck in his solo search than them. With the pink puffball slumbering away, the two were close to losing their minds with boredom. The sights they passed were pretty, yes, but they both agreed it would have been far more fun if Kirby had been awake to enjoy it with them, but neither had the heart to wake him up. The two found other ways to amuse themselves.

"Hey, Coo? If Kirby inhaled a rock that was on fire, would he turn into Fire Kirby or Stone Kirby?"

"...What an odd question to ask all of a sudden." The owl expressed aloud, but answered his inquiry anyway. "Well, I believe that Kirby would transform into Fire Kirby, since the flames from the rock would override the properties gained from the Stone ability."

"Huh, I would have thought that it would have been Stone, since a rock with flames all around it is still just a rock."

"...If you had an opinion on the subject all along, then why did you ask?"

"I dunno." Rick shrugged. "I just thought it would be something interesting to talk about. You know, a riddle? Or would it be called a paradox?"

"A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself. A riddle would be the correct term."

"Oh. Well, you are the smart one." Rick trailed off, allowing an uncomfortable silence to hang over them.

At some point, the fluttering snowflakes began to come down at a greater frequency, and the wind had grown more frigid. Kirby unconsciously quivered, and Coo flew up onto Rick's back to join him and share some of his warmth, but his feathers had become slightly damp. It was still better than enduring the cold alone, so the child reached over and cuddled into his fluff as he began to open his eyes.

"Ugh, well ain't that an ugly face." Rick stated with a grimace, abruptly stopping at some sort of billboard in the middle of nowhere. The owl tilted his head upwards, and Kirby groggily peeked over his shoulder.

 **(** _Koopa Cruiser - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ **)**

A few feet in front of them on a sturdy metal pole was a large and gaudy sign that read 'Future Property of King Dedede' in big golden letters. Directly next to the text was the image of the king himself with a cheesy yet somewhat malicious grin on his face. In addition to his already ridiculous expression, he was also winking and giving double peace signs; it was one of his standard poses when making public appearances. Behind the billboard was a fenced off area, apparently due to construction taking place. Hanging on the gate was another sign, the words 'On Break' printed on it alongside a picture of a Waddle Dee wearing a yellow hard hat and holding a cup of coffee.

Looking around, the three didn't find any evidence that suggested the Waddle Dees left in charge of the project had worked in quite a while. A blanket of snow covered all of their equipment still strewn about, and the chains wrapped around the bars of the gates to the fence built around the foundation to keep any possible trespassers out had a thin layer of ice coating the metal lock. It looked as though they had abandoned the site right in the middle of a workday and never returned.

The question that remained was; where were the Waddle Dees?

"It isn't like them at all to leave work unfinished..." Coo murmured worriedly, taking in the sight of the castle's base, which was only a few feet tall at most compared to the skyscraper of a tower depicted on the blueprint that had swept off one of the workers' tables and landed at their feet for them to peer at.

"I'm really hoping they went to find someplace to stay and just didn't come back." Rick replied, his paws balling into fists. "I'm willing to bet that Dedede wasn't thoughtful enough to find a place here for them to rest up when they were done for the day. What if they got stuck in a bad storm? I know they're resourceful, but the thought of them huddled up together in a cold, wet cave for warmth somewhere on this island is a sad one. He's such a jerk, leaving those poor guys out here without a way to get home."

"I would offer the possibility that they boarded a boat and returned to the castle, but they're far too loyal to have done that." Coo added with a downturned beak. "Their race's sense of loyalty is both their greatest asset and their greatest flaw."

"Poyo..." Kirby found himself uttering despairingly, the subject and tone of the conversation causing his heart to drop. The young Star Warrior wasn't entirely innocent of the knowledge of the crimes the king had committed; he wasn't a simpleton, but he still considered Dedede a friend and believed he had the power in him to change for the better. Unfortunately, it seemed he was the sole person in all of Dream Land that thought this, and the rest of the country's inhabitants would probably rejoice if news came to them that he was never to return.

"Yeah, he gave them a room in the castle and feeds them enough to get by," The hamster continued, scrutinizing the 'On Break' sign fastened to the gate, "but Dedede doesn't appreciate them at all. He thinks just because they don't speak the language he understands he can pick on them and ignore their needs! They don't even wear hardhats when they're building something - Dedede's too cheap for that. I bet they don't even get to drink coffee unless they buy it themselves with whatever little money they might have, which isn't from him because he doesn't pay them. He even kicked them out and replaced them with an evil robot once!"

"You're awfully passionate about this." The owl responded, sounding somewhat surprised. "Have you made a Waddle Dee friend or two?"

"Like I said, they all speak a language none of us understand except for Commander Waddle Doo, so I haven't exactly gotten to know any of them better. But what I do know is, they work really hard for practically nothing and don't bother nothing or nobody. Even the ones you see out in Green Greens are about as friendly as can be to total strangers. Dedede does a lot of things that get on my nerves, but the times he treats them like dirt are some of the worst."

"I see. You have a big heart, Rick." The purple avian replied, giving his version of a smile. "I wish more felt towards them like you do. His Majesty takes advantage of the Waddle Dees so often, yet no one ever speaks of it except for Fumu. Everyone recognizes that what he does is wrong, but the villagers' apathy has gotten the better of them. Perhaps it's the same for everything else the town is forced to face because of him..."

"Yeah, it really is no different." The hamster agreed, tilting his head back a bit to address the pink puffball on his back. "But look at it this way; with Dedede always up to something and the townsfolk never doing anything about it, you'll have definite job security!"

His words were meant to be a joke, and Kirby laughed to humor Rick's attempt, but he didn't think of it as all that funny. There were times in the past where he had wondered why the villagers never did something to make things better regarding Dedede and his schemes, and then there were other times when he recognized that they truly couldn't do anything and needed him to step up. He didn't mind being their hero, and he always forgave them whenever they forgot that and sided against him, but what made Kirby uncomfortable was the implications behind Rick's joke; that the dynamic between the townspeople and King Dedede would forever be the same - a never-ending cycle of torment and indifference.

Before either of his animal friends could inquire about his sudden somber mood, a familiar scream echoed across the frozen landscape.

 **(** _Winter's Alright For Fighting - Don't Starve_ **)**

" **AAAAAH!** **_Somebody help me!_** **_AAAAGLUBUBUB!_** "

"That...that's Kine's voice, isn't it?" Rick groaned, holding a paw to his face. "See, we tried to warn him, and now he's gotten himself into trouble again without us. Go see what's wrong, Coo."

"At least we know he's alive." Coo offered, trying to look on the bright side of things as he flew up into the snowy skies. "Kine is at the docks as he said he would be, but he's being attacked by...some sort of round arctic mammalian creature!"

Rick sighed, giving a muffled 'thank you' to the owl before speaking again to the pink puffball. "Hang on tight, Kirby. We're going to save him...again."

The hamster padded off in the direction of the fish's cry and found that he was indeed being attacked by, as Coo described it, some sort of round arctic mammalian creature. This creature was a demon beast dubbed Mr. Frosty, one of Nightmare's most mass produced products in his catalog. It had the appearance of a beady-eyed white walrus without tusks wearing dark blue overalls, and light blue feet shaped much like Kirby's and Rick's. As its name implied, Mr. Frosty was given strengths involving ice and snow and advanced in climates similar to Iceberg's.

Poor Kine was being chased in the water by the demon beast, Mr. Frosty swimming after him with the speed of a jet ski and the ocean sunfish barely managing to avoid the swipes of its clawed paws by a few centimeters. He dove under the water and continuously popped out in different locations hoping to confuse it, but only succeeded in almost losing a fin when another swing of its paw came his way.

Kirby slid down Rick's back and picked up a moderately sized chunk of ice by the riverbed without a word, then chucked it at Mr. Frosty's head. The demon beast turned its attention away from Kine as he hoped and locked eyes with him, charging out of the water and towards him with arms flailing. Mr. Frosty took a flying leap into the air to body slam the young Star Warrior; he dodged the attack with a sidestep, and his foe fell face-first onto the hard ice packed ground. It sat up with swirling eyes and stars whirling around its head as Kirby scanned the area for something to gain an ability with.

Mr. Frosty recovered before he found anything to use, standing up to create a cube of ice the size of the puffball and threw it at him, the demon beast tauntingly shaking its rear at him after. As the cube came his way, Kirby inhaled it but didn't swallow it for an ability. He spat it out, the impact of its own projectile used against it sent the demon beast sailing. Mr. Frosty then smacked into a glacier before exploding into a brief shower of stars.

"Okay, Kine?" Kirby asked, wanting to make sure his friend was alright.

"Yes, I'm fine..." He trembled, and it wasn't due to the frazil. "You...you saved me again! Thank you! I came back here like I said I would, but then that walrus-thing was here and jumped at me! Where did it come from? How long had it been here? I don't know, but that scared me!"

"We arrived at just the right time, it seems." Coo said, relieved the fish hadn't gotten hurt. "Nevertheless, did you find anything during your search, Kine?"

"About that, I think so! I may have found a path to the doorway to the chamber in a cavern underwater, but the entire outside is frozen! I rammed myself against the ice for the longest, but I couldn't even make a crack in it! So I came back hoping that maybe one of you had some idea of how to break through it."

"I suppose the most straightforward solution would be for Kirby to obtain his Fire ability," The owl began, "But where would we find a source of fire in this frozen land? The only method I believe we can turn to is to produce a flame using two sticks. We passed by a forest a short while ago, so Rick, being the fastest, would you please go and grab a few branches for the job?"

 **(** _Mountain Village - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D_ **)**

The hamster then scurried off in search of the woodland area, but shortly after he left, a terrible wind picked up. It was more frigid than any they had felt before, and with it came an onslaught of snow, no longer harmless little flakes or flurries. It was a blizzard, and they were out in the open with one of their group gone. When Rick came back with the pine limbs in hand a few minutes later, everyone was sopping wet and cold from being exposed to heavy snowfall.

Rick rapidly rubbed them together, chanting the word 'please' over and over again as they awaited even so much as a spark. Finally, a small ember flared up from the wood only to instantly be extinguished when a large amount of slush brought by the gale was lobbed in their direction. Rick threw the sticks as far as his strength would allow, letting out a shout of frustration at their horrible luck.

"We need to get out of here and find a place to wait out this horrid weather!" Coo yelled the obvious over the howling of the wind, Rick instinctively grabbing him before the owl could be blown away.

Kirby and his friends tromped through the rapidly accumulating snow as it piled up around them, the wind so bitter and fierce it could almost cut through their skin and seep into their bones. Even the ones with fur or feathers found no comfort or protection in this harsh an outlook. Kine was no safer in the water than he would have been if he were born a land animal, swimming with all his might against the raging ocean waves only to nearly be thrown out of the water more than once.

They walked on and on through that glacial wasteland, but it seemed to stretch on for miles with no sign of shelter in sight. The rate of falling snow made it almost impossible to see ahead, and the four found themselves brushing at their eyes every few seconds to keep from being blinded. The time they spent in that storm felt like hours, and it became more and more difficult for them to move, their paces had all but slowed to a crawl. Their bodies grew heavy and their visions dark.

Just when it seemed Kirby and company were fated to collapse in the snowstorm, a faint yellow glow approached them. Everyone tensed, believing it to be another demon beast that thrived in this sort of environment; however, a warm and friendly voice then called out to them.

"Hello? Is anyone out here?" A Waddle Doo wearing a knit wool pom pom hat came into view, his two brown hairs peeking out from underneath. He shined the light of his lantern in their direction. "I thought I must have been going crazy to have seen someone out in this weather, but I just had to be sure! Hurry, come inside my house where it's safe and warm! I'll lead you there!"

* * *

 _"Yes, Fumu, I am giving you a choice, no strings attached. Either you allow Kirby to continue his journey without our interference, or say the word, and I will personally travel to the Rainbow Islands and have him delivered to you by sunrise."_

 **(** _Leder's Gymnopedie - MOTHER 3_ **)**

To hear such a thing from Meta Knight, Fumu thought she must have been dreaming; she must have fallen asleep out there on the balcony, and their entire exchange nothing more than fantasy. He had given her a **_choice_** , set aside his own judgment on the matter and handed complete control over the situation to her, just as Blade had done earlier that day, but the weight behind this decision held so much more power than before. The older Star Warrior had his own guileful ways towards seeing that his ambitions were fulfilled, but he never went back on his word - if she gave him the command, he would bring Kirby back to her, as promised.

The realization of that gave her a sudden sense of superiority that flooded her system. For once, Fumu had him cornered into doing what she wanted, she thought. It took every ounce of willpower within her to stop the smirk that threatened to overtake her face; she wanted to appear as calm and collected as he was in front of him as if the options presented to her had not left such a massive impact.

Fumu's lips parted, and she drew a breath; internally enthusiastic, and fully intending to give the masked knight her order that he had vowed to uphold...

But then, all the air in her lungs escaped.

She couldn't do it. Couldn't _say_ it.

Why had Fumu hesitated when the means of getting what she wanted was in her grasp? At first, the girl considered the entire discussion had been a test designed for her - and maybe it had been. The game of chess and the relating extended metaphors were to explain his point of view on the situation Kirby was currently in. Meta Knight revealing a question like that at the end made it seem as though he had been assessing her, that no matter which option Fumu had chosen, she never truly had a choice at all.

However, the intended messages behind his figures of speech had not been lost on her; even if she had taken the alternative, there was no guarantee that Kirby himself would hold to her decision. He chose to stay in the Rainbow Islands by his own will, and that was something she couldn't deny. If Kirby had wanted to come home and configure a strategy with them, then he would have done so at the first opportunity available. That was part of what Meta Knight had been trying to tell her throughout the debacle of the past few days - he had wanted to assist her in coming to terms with that, and yet she had pushed the notion aside and blamed him for her own refusal to accept the truth.

And there was Meta Knight, who had taken the seat across from her, his hands with one folded over the other on top of the table as he patiently awaited her answer. Fumu didn't know how long she had kept him in suspense; perhaps a few minutes at most, but to her, it had felt like hours. The passage of time during that one moment had become inestimable. While he waited and without her noticing, his eyes had turned, flashed and glowed from yellow, to green, then finally to orange. Had she caught the last color, she might have briefly pondered over what that had meant, as orange was something she had never seen from his eyes before.

Finally, Fumu took another breath and reestablished eye contact with him. A sad smile appeared on her lips, her head ducked slightly as she spoke.

 _"...Let him go, Sir Meta Knight."_ She had said, her voice faint and tone unsure. _"That's what I've decided."_

"Are you absolutely certain?"

It surprised her, Meta Knight asking if she were so sure of herself. If he had been testing her, the girl would have thought he wouldn't have been so quick to question if she held any second thoughts. He had been full of surprises that night...

Her response wasn't verbal; she gave a small up and down shake of her head. He didn't seem convinced of the sincerity in her answer but left the subject at that. He then went to stowing away the chessboard and its respective pieces, neither of them saying anything for the longest. When it appeared Fumu had nothing more to say to him and he to her, Meta Knight quietly bid her goodnight and made to exit the balcony. She had turned away from him to look at the starry skies and the light of the waning moon that fell over the expanse of the town below, falling into silence once more.

Before he opened the door to the living room, he spoke in a voice so indistinct, his words almost escaped her hearing.

 _"...I would have brought him to you. That's all. I only wanted you to know that."_

He then gathered up his disconcerted squires and left the family's apartment. Fumu remained outside, propping herself up with one elbow and drumming her fingers across the table in thought with her free hand. She had probably spent the next few hours analyzing every nook and cranny of their conversation looking for any hidden clues that hinted at any underlying motives. That was how Meta Knight had always offered his intervention, through methods and meanings that weren't discernable or clear.

She wasn't angry with him anymore, or rather, not for the same reasons as before. The six month silent treatment from him was still a sore point, and perhaps while they were getting their points of view across to each other, she could have brought up that topic as well. But by the conclusion of their initial conversation, Fumu had no energy left to start an entirely new debate with him - and on an issue that he may have been far less ready to divulge the details of.

However, talking with him strangely had given her some peace of mind; the emotions trapped inside her had become known, and a sense of resolution and finality followed it. She felt ready to accept whatever may come, regardless of her personal opinions on it.

The sole elaboration she gave to her worried parents and brother after the knight departed and she, at last, came indoors was a single reassurance, along with a melancholy smile that somehow held so much hope for the future. She faced them and said,

 _"Everything's going to be okay now."_

* * *

The next morning, the mood surrounding the breakfast table was different than the day before. Fumu ate with her family in better spirits, but by the blonde's side was her favorite book that contained the history and legends of Dream Land. She took part in some conversation with her family, but mostly, her focus could barely be torn from the open pages next to her plate.

 **(** _Toad Town Square - Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga_ **)**

The idea came to her before she fell asleep the previous night; rather than continuously badger the thought of her beloved puffball coming home, Fumu decided she could find ways to support him even if they were apart from each other. She began pouring over her history book first thing that morning, looking for any information that may be useful to Kirby while on his journey. She was so absorbed in her research; her parents were reluctant to remind her that reading at the table was practicing poor manners.

"Ah, sis!" Bun yelped, yanking her close when she almost lost her footing on the castle's bridge. "Your nose is so stuck in that book, you almost walked right into the mote!"

"We know you're hard at work studying for Kirby's sake, Fumu, but please be more aware of your surroundings." Blade warned, offering his arm to help steady her.

"Sorry, guys. I get like this sometimes when I'm reading." Her face flushed slightly in embarrassment as she took it. "It's a bad habit, I know."

"Have you found anything that might help Kirby out yet?" Sword asked as he struggled with Gooey excitedly wiggling around in his hold at every mention of the young Star Warrior.

"Not much..." She frowned, scanning over her book. "Hey, did you know that Ripple Field actually wasn't named after the waves there, but because the queen of Ripple Star visited the island once a few hundred years ago? I think that's interesting."

"Blade and I haven't ever visited Ripple Star, but I've heard it's famous for weddings. I guess it's because it's shaped like a heart." He added with a shrug. "I don't know about Sir Meta Knight, though. He doesn't talk much about his travels before he met us."

"Huh, well I guess he has his reasons." She mirrored his gesture, and everyone noticed the absence of hostility in her tone that had been present the day prior. "Anyway, I don't really know why I'm looking at entries on Ripple Field when Kirby should be on Iceberg by now. But by the time we get news from him through Coo this evening, he'll probably be ready to go to Red Canyon. Oh stars, I'm so behind!"

She held the heavy book closer to her with one hand and rapidly flipped through pages with the other. It was refreshing to see her acting like this; putting her worries and love for Kirby in a more positive direction. They still refrained from asking for the specifics regarding her talk with Meta Knight, but they assumed it had granted her some amount of ease. Bun, Sword and admittedly even Blade had opened the balcony's sliding door just a crack to hear and caught a few glimpses of the two, but they were almost immediately pulled back by Memu who gave them a good scolding and a long lecture on the meaning of privacy.

While Fumu seemed to be in better temperaments for the first time since Kirby's arrival on Grass Land, the two squires weren't sure they could say the same for their lord. He had left her apartment with a somber air around him and hadn't spoken a word to either of them for the rest of the night; he had disappeared again sometime between after they went to bed and before they awoke. It was only Sword, Blade and Gooey at the table that morning, but they once again set aside a plate for him should he come back while they were gone.

The town's reconstruction project had been going smoothly with Gooey's help. Most of the houses and buildings were back to their former states, if not better than before. Several of the stores were now back in business; Tago's and Gus's doors had reopened to the public, and Gangu and Dr. Yabui resumed their occupations today. Two that still remained in suspension were Kawasaki's restaurant and Samo's bar, and if the residents of Cappy Village had to choose just one to reinstate, Samo's establishment would have won by a country mile - and the reason why had nothing to do with the alcohol.

The bar would be opening the following day once Samo restocked, and Kawasaki was up in the mountains embarking on what he had called a 'journey of self-discovery' for new recipe ideas in celebration of his 'grand re-opening'. Kawasaki himself knew he was an abominable chef, so the residents now assumed the man had finally plunged headfirst into a deep river known as denial.

Though Cappy Village was almost the way it was prior to the disaster, there was still much work to be done for many of the townspeople. No one had requested Gooey's help for the day, so the group of five decided to wander around the village to find someone who was still in need. However, before their search could even begin, Sato suddenly approached them.

"I don't know if you're busy with work already, but..." She started quietly; her expression troubled as she turned her gaze towards the town square. "Please help my husband."

 **(** _Police Station - Animal Crossing: New Leaf_ **)**

Without explaining herself, she then motioned for them to follow, and they soon arrived at the police station. She tiptoed onto the porch and nudged the front door open, enough for them to eavesdrop and peer inside without being detected. They found Chief Borun sitting in a rocking chair, with an ice pack pressed to his backside, wincing. Dr. Yabui was there as well, shaking his head at every mumble and moan of pain the other Cappy gave.

"You've really done yourself in this time, Chief." The older man muttered, tapping the end of his pen against the clipboard in his other hand. "I told you plainly to not strain yourself, and now you can't even move around. If you keep ignoring my advice, you may wind up bound to a wheelchair, and it may not be temporary. If you ask me, I say you already need one."

"But Dorun..." The chief groaned, trying to stand up only to fall backwards into his chair. "He's still out there somewhere. It's not safe to leave him unchecked; for everyone in the village and himself. You know how sticky his hands are-"

"Yes, I _do_ know, Borun." Dr. Yabui adjusted his glasses with a stern frown. "He's a kleptomaniac, and he gives into impulse easily when left unsupervised. However, Dorun is basically harmless and runs when he knows he's in trouble; he's a coward. He won't leave the village, and whatever he's taken can be gotten back later. For now, I suggest that you stay off your feet. I'll be back to check on you later this evening."

The doctor then stepped out the doorway and faced Sato, paying no mind to her additional company. He shook his head again with a sigh and grumbled,

"Sato, your husband is a mess. I'm grateful for all that he does for the village and his hardworking and honest personality, but working on the reconstruction from morning 'till night days in a row and running after Dorun really did a number on him. I'm begging you; keep him grounded to one spot. I'm probably twice as old, and I don't need a wheelchair, so tell him that if it's too early for me, then it's definitely too early for him."

"I will. Thank you for visiting, Dr. Yabui." She nodded, seeing him off. "So now you see what the problem is. Borun threw out his back when he was helping with the rebuilding, then made it worse trying to track down Dorun. He escaped sometime during the chaos a few nights ago. He's been running all around town, and now we can't keep up with him. The police station is repaired now, so we have a place to put him once he's caught-"

"Wait a minute." Bun interrupted, waving his hands around urging her to slow down. "Let me get this straight; you want us to go and capture _an escaped criminal_? Isn't that, like...dangerous or something?"

"Oh, Bun, it's just Dorun!" Fumu asserted, crossing her arms. "Like Dr. Yabui said, he's not a threat; the worst thing he can do is run away. ...You aren't scared of him, are you?"

"What? No!" He defended, flustered. "I just didn't want to get into something that would get us in trouble later! That's it! Really!"

"You won't be in any danger or get yourselves into trouble." Sato assured. "If anything does happen, then I'll take full responsibility. But if you still have any doubts, Dorun really is harmless, and he's very timid. I honestly think he wants to change, but when he sees something he likes or wants, a part of his brain starts screaming, 'mine! mine! mine!' and he grabs it without even thinking. He usually stays in that cell by his own choice, but I wish there was more we could do for him."

"If he isn't prone to violence and only tries to flee when spotted, then this shouldn't be too much of a challenge." Blade replied, shifting his focus to the surrounding area. "We should check the places he tends to steal from most frequently - I assume the jewelry department in Gangu's store is one?"

"Sadly, yes." She confirmed with a sad shake of her head. "Dorun loves things that sparkle - he's just like that one type of bird; I think it's called a magpie. He's taken quite a few rings from there, and though he always gives them up when he's caught, there's still some of them he's taken in the past that never did turn up. I guess he dropped them somewhere when he was making his escape, but that doesn't explain why no one ever found and returned a single one..."

"Hey Blade," Sword leaned over to whisper just in his earshot. "Doesn't Master Escargon have a secret collection of jewelry he's picked up hidden in the castle somewhere?"

"Yes, but that's not enough evidence to incriminate him." He replied quietly, already knowing what the other was suggesting. "We can look into it later."

"This is a lot to ask, I know, but my husband can't do it in the shape he's in." Sato continued. "Finding Dorun and convincing him to come back is hard work, but he could get himself hurt out there if he steals from the wrong person, especially now with the town like it is."

"We understand, Mrs. Sato." Fumu responded, "We'll try to catch him and bring him back before that could happen."

"Thank you. I need to go inside and take care of my husband now." The Cappy said, climbing up the small set of steps to the door. "If Dorun gives you too much grief, though, there isn't any shame in telling me it can't be done. He's can be a wild one, after all."

She closed the door behind her with a soft click, and both sets of siblings set their attention on Gooey, who was smiling at them obliviously as he quizzically tilted his body slightly to one side. They looked at each other with concerned expressions, though the pair of squires didn't need to remove their helmets for their feelings to be made apparent. Their concerns on how effective he would be at handling police work was obvious - the blob was a naïve and impressionable child, and explaining the given situation would need to be handled delicately.

So, naturally, Sword and Bun were instructed to sit this one out until Gooey got the basic grasp of what was happening around them. They decided it was probably for the best anyway because neither wanted to be held accountable in the event that he made the mistake of tackling any random passersby and throwing them in the jailhouse - no matter how humorous the mental image was.

It took a while of explaining and breaking down the larger details, but the blob understood their given task for the day; capture Dorun without injuring him, and _only_ Dorun, then safely guide him back to Sato and Chief Borun. They supplied him with a visual description of the Cappy and went on to make clear that locking someone up behind bars wasn't something that was to be done regularly. It was a simple enough procedure, but with Gooey involved, sometimes even the most simple things could quickly become complicated.

 **(** _T &T Mart - Animal Crossing: New Leaf_ **)**

They made their way to Gangu's toy store first; even though the Cappy mostly dealt with merchandise targeted towards children, he did have a notable collection of jewels available for purchase. They weren't glass either, but genuine precious stones - and small in number, since King Dedede tended to selfishly hoard most of Dream Land's treasures for himself if discovered and captivated his interest. The few for sale were the ones that had managed to fly under his radar.

Unfortunately, they didn't escape Dorun's radar. When the five arrived, there were several noticeable empty spaces present behind the glass display case where rings, broaches, and necklaces once laid. It wasn't close to a romantic holiday or a couple's anniversary in the village, and King Dedede was currently being held hostage, so there was no other explanation aside from the town thief for the disappearance of so many articles of jewelry.

"Yeah, he was here a while ago, but I'm sure you can already tell. It's pretty obvious." Gangu stated, gesturing to the display from behind the counter. "He slipped in while I had my back turned, then the next thing I knew, I'd been robbed. If I don't sound shocked enough for you, then I'm sorry. But between him and His Majesty, I'm really not all that surprised when I'm missing a necklace and a ring or two anymore. It would still be nice to have them back, though."

"Do you have any idea where he could have gone?" Fumu inquired, somewhat put off by his apathetic behavior and tone.

"I don't know where he is now, but I'd be willing to bet he ran off to raid Tago's after." He replied with a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders. "I tried chasing after him, but he's just too fast for me. I don't know how the chief does it so often. I'm all worn out now."

Gooey hopped closer to the display to take a look, the light reflected off the surface of the gems sparkling in his eyes. He watched them for a moment, then manifested a nubby blue arm to tug on the back of Sword's shoulder strap. He gazed up at him with an innocent puppy-dog stare.

"...Candy?"

"Sorry, little buddy. I don't have any on me right now." He confessed, patting his pockets and pouches in case he happened to be wrong before realizing what the blob meant. "Oh, no, Gooey. That isn't candy. And none of that would taste good, either."

"You've been giving him sweets?" Fumu addressed him in a low hiss, her motherly nature showing again. "How many? That isn't all you've been feeding him, is it? This isn't something you've been doing regularly, right?"

With each question presented she took one step forward and him another step back, raising his hands in a defensive manner as if she were ready to attack. Blade and Tago watched the scene play out with amusement until the other squire finally decided to grant him mercy and come to his brother's defense.

"Fumu, before you back him into a corner, I assure you that his diet is carefully being watched over. His appetite hasn't been spoiled with sweets; at least, as far as I know on my end. I can't speak for my brother, now can I?"

So much for mercy.

"I don't give it to him all day, every day if that's what you're wondering!" Sword said nervously, waving his hands about. "I give him candy for a snack sometimes after a meal, but not a lot! There's nothing wrong with giving kids candy as long as you don't overdo it!"

"You're right; there isn't anything wrong with that, but I just wanted to make sure," Fumu said, seemingly satisfied with his answer, causing Sword to relax.

"Anyway, the items behind this case aren't for consumption, Gooey." Blade explained to the patiently waiting curious blob, who tilted his body sideways in confusion at his word choice. "Meaning you can't eat them. This is jewelry, something to be worn on one's body for decoration. It's most commonly given as gifts during holidays or to show appreciation to someone you love."

He stared at the squire with an intense gaze, then back to the merchandise separated from him by the glass. He then turned to Gangu and looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"...Can I have?"

"G-Gooey, sorry, but all of that stuff is out of Blade and I's budget! We can't afford something like that." Sword spoke regretfully, not wanting to see the sad expression on the little gooball's face. "Besides, I, uh, don't know how you would wear any of it, to be honest."

Gangu braced himself behind the counter, as did Fumu, Bun and Blade, all expecting a tantrum to rise from his response. The toy store owner saw similar situations often; mothers would pass by with their young daughters, and the children would beg for genuine gemstone rings or pearl necklaces rather than settling for inexpensive costume jewelry. However, he would have to say it would be the first time he saw a little blob boy burst into tears over being denied a trinket.

But it never came. Gooey took the news rather well, only letting a small frown fall on his lips before nodding and giving a quiet conceding 'okay'. Then that was the end of it. Sword bought him one of the large colorful lollipops for sale out of his own pocket to lift his spirits up, ignoring the disapproving look on Fumu's face after them just having a discussion on feeding him too much sugar. The group's next move was to patrol the streets, as Dorun would have surely left the grocery store by now if he were conducting a robbery, and Gangu hadn't been a reliable source of information to them at all.

 **(** _Wigglytuff's Guild Remix - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

"I can't believe out of all the cool things in that place, he wanted a bracelet or a ring." Bun later commented as they left the store. "I mean, I would of picked out an action figure - something **tough**. Not saying I wanted anything that was there though..."

"Men wear jewelry too, Bun." Fumu hastily added, picking up on his condescending tone. "So what if he wanted a ring or a bracelet? Even if he can't exactly wear any of that normally...not without making the necessary limbs himself..."

"It's probably a good thing Blade and I don't have that kind of money on us right now, though." The younger squire leaned over to whisper. "With the look he was giving me, if we did, I might have actually went ahead and bought him one. Then we'd really be in hot water later if something big came up where we needed the money..."

"Are you guys really in that bad a financial situation?" The boy asked with a frown. "You're Sir Meta Knight's squires, so doesn't he help you out with that kind of stuff?"

"We are His Lordship's squires, his students, not his _children_!" Blade barked indignantly. "We work for our own paychecks and manage our own funds; we don't get an allowance or pester him to purchase things we want! He's given us honest lives and a roof over our heads, and I believe that's all we deserve from him. No, perhaps not even that much."

"Besides, with King Dedede being the one signing our paychecks, you know we have to think carefully when we go shopping sometimes." Sword explained, "Yeah, Sir Meta Knight does his equal share, but the cost of groceries and other stuff are a joint responsibility between the three of us. We were the ones who came up with that system by the way, not him; we didn't want to freeload. So Sword and I have savings, but not enough to throw around every time we want something shiny and new that we don't really need."

"So at the root of things, it's King Dedede that's the problem." Fumu sighed, not astonished in the slightest. "Still, I'm surprised to hear that, kind of. Sir Meta Knight was going to handle all of your living expenses, but you both insisted on chipping in anyway? That's so noble."

"We told you before; we owe him everything." Blade softly reminded, "Aside from that example of his kindness, he does also treat us to some luxuries on our birthday. He's never forgotten the date throughout all the years we've served at his side, not even once."

"You keep saying 'birthday' instead of 'birthdays'..." Bun pointed out before putting two and two together and excitedly exclaiming, "Are you guys _twins_?!"

"We don't know." Both replied, shrugging noncommittally.

"H-How could you not know?" Fumu stuttered, mystified. "You're both brothers, and it sounds like you share the same birthday, so that must mean you're twins; unless both of you were coincidentally born on the same day of the year. But either way, you would have to know!"

"Sorry, but neither of us know the real answer." Sword went on to clarify, "We have no idea when we were born, or if we're even related by blood. We're pretty sure we're orphans. All we do know is, we've been together from the very beginning, for as long as we both can remember. To us, 'brother' just sounds right for each other, so we think that's enough for us to be brothers."

"Before we met Sir Meta Knight, Sword and I chose a day separately at random each year to celebrate. Afterwards, our lord put forward that we should decide permanent dates when the topic came up. So, after thinking it over, we chose our birthdays to be the same. That day is March 30th. It was the date we first met our lord, and we became his squires. We felt it was only appropriate that be when we celebrate our births since Sir Meta Knight gave us new lives that day, and so we would never forget his greatest gift to us."

"That...that's probably one of the sweetest things I've ever heard." Fumu smiled, almost feeling a sense of being healed after hearing their explanation.

"You guys are going to make me cry over here..." Bun let out an almost sniffle, grabbing Gooey off the ground and squeezing him to relieve some of his emotions - the blob made a noise that sounded like a squeak.

"Now you have two more people that won't forget ever your birthday." The blonde laughed, "March 30th is later this month too; Bun and I will need to think of something nice to get you really fast, then!"

"Uh, we didn't tell you all that to hit you up for presents, honest!" Sword protested, his rarely seen shy and modest side taking over. "You don't have to do that, really! You two remembering is enough!"

Before Blade could reply with a witty comeback, Gooey's small voice caught everyone's attention,

"Birthday? Do I have...birthday?" He inquired, still dangling from the boy's arms with a contemplative look on his face. "...What is birthday?"

"Aw, sis. He doesn't even know what a birthday is." Bun shook his head pityingly as he patted the blob. "Your birthday is the day you were born, Gooey - the first day of your life. But you don't remember when that was either, do you?"

"...No." He answered, his entire body drooping as if ashamed; it seemed he could never recall anything they asked him that sounded important, like his birthday, the star or planet he came from, his own name before dubbing himself Gooey from Kirby's observation regarding his appearance.

"That's okay, Gooey. We picked one out for Kirby, so we can do the same for you." Fumu suggested, cheering him up somewhat. "Would you like a springtime birthday like him, Sword, and Blade, or one later in the year? Or does the day you two met sound better? Maybe when Kirby gets back, he can help you decide?"

"Ok!" He responded, feeling overwhelmed with happiness at the options he was presented and wiggling with glee until an obnoxiously loud noise nearly made Bun drop him on his face.

"AH! **_Thief!_** " Another voice dramatically cried out from down the street. " _Help!_ Somebody stop him! **_HELP!_** "

"How did he slip by us?!" Sword shouted, noticing the scream came from a ways behind them.

"That doesn't matter now." Blade said, drawing his sword and pointing it in the direction of the cry, despite there being no reason to do so. "Let's move!"

* * *

 **(** _Mountain Village - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D_ **)**

Kirby and his trio of friends allowed themselves to be led around through the rapidly piling snow by the mysterious stranger. Rick held onto Coo to prevent him from being blown away by the blizzard, and he had the pink puffball to climb on his back again once he noticed the strain all their walking had placed on him. Kine had dragged himself out of the frigid rampaging waters and moved across the surface of the land with a strange series of hops - the hamster ended up carrying him as well so he wouldn't be left behind.

The sudden appearance of the Waddle Doo in their time of need was a fortunate occurrence, perhaps _too_ fortunate to be brushed off as a lucky coincidence. However, they had no reason to believe he had any sinister motives, so the four placed faith in the inherent kindness of strangers and obediently followed him to his promised shelter. Their guide was careful, navigating them through the storm as if he had done so countless times. He shielded the flame in his lantern to keep it from going out, occasionally turning around to make sure his company was still there and close.

The only other member of his species anyone in Dream Land was familiar with was the overseer of Castle Dedede's Waddle Dee army, Commander Waddle Doo. The commander had a different color of skin than him; being a shade of tangerine rather than sunset red. This Waddle Doo also had orange feet, (which were barely visible while wearing his snow shoes) rather than purple, but shared the same eye color with him - a deep blue that appeared dark lavender in certain lighting. Other than those examples, the only physical differences left between them were related to their attire.

After a short while of marching, they stopped in front of a large well-constructed wooden building, two-stories high by the looks of things, and apparently in the middle of nowhere. On closer inspection, it appeared to be more of a lodge than someone's house, like the ones seen exclusively at winter resorts in colder regions. The lights were on, but it was difficult to make anything out that might be inside with the windows almost completely frosted and fogged over.

The Waddle Doo took out a ring of keys from underneath his hat, holding them up and examining them closely but hurriedly. He soon stepped towards the door and unlocked it, then ushered the group inside.

"Come on in and make yourself at home!" He bubbled, placing his keys back where they came from and politely held the door open. "Now, I should say I already have a few other guests here with me, but they won't cause you any trouble. Nope, none at all!"

 **(** _Theme of Home 1 - Harvest Moon: Animal Parade_ **)**

A wave of warmth enveloped Kirby and his friends as soon as they stepped inside the hallway; the snow left clinging to their bodies immediately began melting, leaving them wet and shivering. The Waddle Doo scurried off, returning moments later with a stack of warm blankets and towels to drape them in. He pulled out chairs for them to sit, and even found a large washtub to fill with water out of consideration for Kine. He was the perfect host, acting more like a butler than the landowner.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" He asked as he took their soaked towels and tossed them into what was assumed to be the laundry chute. "We have some hot chocolate in the dining hall- Oh, I haven't even told you my name yet, silly me! My name's Iggy. Iggy the Waddle Doo; pleased to meet you!"

They each introduced themselves and gave their names in return, grateful for having run into such a good-natured resident of the island. He held out an eager nubby hand and shook each of theirs, rattling them around a bit more than necessary in his excitement.

"Ah, thank you, Mr. Iggy..." Coo was the first to thank him, his and everyone else's eyes rolling around dizzily in their heads.

"You can just call me Iggy, and thank you too for thanking me!" The Waddle Doo kicked off his snow shoes by the door and removed his long scarf, having just remembered he was still wearing them. "So, about that hot chocolate-"

"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but...where exactly are we?" Rick stopped him before the chatty cyclops could go any further with the idea. "You've got a really nice place here, don't get me wrong, but this looks more like a restaurant or an inn..."

"Oh, Iggy! You're so forgetful today!" The Waddle Doo outwardly berated himself before answering. "Where you're at, this is my house, but it's also the Wander Inn - Iceberg's one and only bed-and-breakfast! But don't let the name mislead you; we also serve lunch, dinner, and everything in-between! So, what would you like to order?"

Iggy pulled a menu, memo pad, and pen out from beneath his hat, but before Kirby could request one of everything the Waddle Doo had in his inventory, the owl and the hamster moved to quickly cover his mouth, the puffball slumping in disappointment with a quiet whimper.

"It's kind of you to ask, but you wouldn't happen to know how long we may have to wait out this storm, would you?" The purple avian inquired, not noticing the slight droop in Iggy's posture.

"Well, that's hard to say, really." He replied, pulling at the hem of his headwear. "This storm came out of nowhere; it wasn't even in the weather report on TV-"

"TV? As in television?" Rick interjected again as he leaned forward in his chair, eyes wide. "You have working television here? It's not Channel DDD, is it?"

"Channel who-doo-what now?"

"It's- ...Never mind; you're better off not knowing." The hamster waved away his questioning glance. "Anyway, right before this blizzard hit us, me and my pals were trying to get somewhere. We were on Ripple Field yesterday, and we...spent about all our money on scuba diving. I don't think we can pay you for a meal here, much less a night's stay."

"So _that's_ why you've all been acting so dodgy! I was starting to get worried you guys just didn't like me." Iggy said as he hung his scarf on the coatrack, then turned around to face them. "I didn't charge out into that snowstorm because I was looking for customers - I did it because it was the right thing to do. You're my guests, not my customers. So let's put all this talk about cost and pay away, okay?"

He then bounced merrily down the hallway, "If you're dry and alright to move, then why not follow me to the lobby? There's a fireplace to warm up by; I'm sure none of the others will mind sharing it. We have lots of food and drink, TV, there's a lot to do here!"

 **(** _Secret Base - Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby_ **)**

The Waddle Doo stopped at the end of the hall and in front of a set of twin doors, Kirby and his friends following behind. He pushed them open, and everyone was met with the sight of dozens of Waddle Dees all dressed in winter apparel, one hundred at the very least, gathered in the expansive room. Some were sitting at the tables eating, some were playing board games with each other, some were huddled in front of the fireplace reading or watching TV, and there was even one group crowded around what looked like a karaoke machine at one corner of the lobby. There were still more Waddle Dees taking part in other activities, but no matter what they were engaged in, it was clear to see all of them were having the time of their lives.

"There sure are a lot of them, right?" Iggy asked, the four feebly nodding in response. "I will say that a few of them, twelve are my employees, but the rest of them I found while on my morning walk a few days ago. The poor guys were at that construction sight of the king's. They were all standing around and not doing anything, so I went over to see what was the matter. They explained everything to me, so I talked them into staying here until the king starts answering them again and they know what to do."

Before he returned to Dream Land, King Dedede had been barking out orders to them left and right, second-guessing and making changes to each and every little thing from the blueprints Escargon had helped him develop for his new arctic castle. After he became unavailable for consulting following his possession, and since the workers were given communicators so he could supervise them even from the comfort of his castle in the mainland, the uninformed Waddle Dees were understandably confused on what to do and decided to go on leave until he started picking up their calls again. It was far better to hold off on finishing the project than completing it and be forced to start over from scratch because His Majesty was displeased with their work, they thought.

"You're a good person, Iggy." Rick commented, taking in their cheerful atmosphere, "That jerk Dedede would never have done this much for them, ever. It's ironic; him being mean to them got the Waddle Dees the best vacation of their lives."

"While I can't argue with the fact that the Waddle Dees were likely left with no place to stay before Iggy approached them," Coo started in a whisper, "You do know His Majesty isn't responsible for ignoring their calls. He can hardly help being possessed."

"Is there anything I can get you? You never did say anything about that hot chocolate." The Waddle Doo inquired as he stepped behind the counter, passing out menus and taking out a pad of paper and pen in the same inexplicable manner as earlier - by reaching up into his hat without even taking it off. "If you'd like something else to drink, I have a lot of different blends of tea, coffee, and a few other beverages. Just don't ask for anything alcoholic - this is a family-friendly establishment!"

"I would like some hot chocolate!" Kine exclaimed, the others agreeing as they carried his washtub to the dining area before sitting down on the bar stools. "...What's hot chocolate?"

"You don't even know what it is, Kine?" Coo shook his head, making Kirby and Iggy laugh.

"Is good!" The young Star Warrior insisted.

"Okay, that's four orders of hot chocolate." The Waddle Doo scribbled on his notepad. "Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

The four made a semi-circle and decided on their lunches. For Rick, Cappy Village style Caesar salad, for Coo, Floria style meatballs, for Kirby, an entire pot of the restaurant's specialty - the Maxim tomato bisque, and Kine ordered pickled jellyfish, much to his companions' perplexity and disgust. Even Kirby made a face at his choice, but the item was on the menu, albeit at the tail end of the seafood portion. Iggy called out to a few Waddle Dees, and they promptly responded. They took the memos from him and scuttled into the kitchen, putting on chef hats before entering. The Waddle Doo made the drinks himself, so he immediately set to work.

The cyclops came out with their drinks perfectly balanced on a tray a few minutes later, handing them each a steaming mug, excluding the ocean sunfish. Kine sunk down into the water with a frown but didn't want to speak out because of his timidity. Before Rick, Coo, or Kirby could question the owner, Iggy came over with a stool and set it in front of Kine's tub, placing a mug with a straw on top.

"Ah... th-thank you!" The fish stuttered, leaning over the tub's rim to blow on the warm beverage before taking a sip.

"I didn't forget you, Kine, not for a second. You're actually not the first guest I've had that doesn't have hands." Iggy chuckled to himself as if reminiscing a fond memory, returning to his place behind the counter. "A few weeks ago, a boy stopped by, probably about your age, Kirby, or maybe a little younger. He was traveling alone, and he performed here for small amounts of money so he could make it back to the mainland - he sang while he bounced on a colorful beach ball. I can't remember his name, but he was an adorable kid."

"He was younger than Kirby, and he was by himself?" Rick inquired with a worried expression. "I guess he must have been pretty capable for his age to be traveling alone as a performer, but still... Iggy, can you tell us anything else about him?"

"He was wearing a very nice hat!" The Waddle Doo replied, pointing to his own. "As a collector of hats myself, I almost weep with joy at the memory of seeing such a magnificent jester cap! I actually knitted the one I'm wearing and my scarf! I have a cap like his somewhere in my closet that I made after, but I'll admit it isn't anywhere near as great. Should I go get it?"

"No, that's alright, Iggy. But thanks." The hamster sighed but turned to the pink puffball still gulping down his drink. "If he's still traveling around, then maybe one day you'll meet that kid."

"That's actually sort of why I got the karaoke machine, partly, anyway." Iggy confessed, "I'm kind of hoping that maybe he'll come back someday and perform here again."

Kirby's eyes seemed to twinkle at the word 'karaoke', and a cold shudder went down his friends' spines. They knew firsthand how terrible his singing voice was and the destruction it brought - they had to do something before the inn was reduced to splinters.

"Now hold on, Kirby." Coo stopped him from jumping out of his seat by holding a wing out in front of him. "Our food is almost ready, and it looks like someone has already claimed ownership of the stage. It would be rude to interrupt, would it not?"

When they scanned over the opposite side of the room, there was a Waddle Dee in the mass that was distinctive in appearance from the rest. Rather than the red-orange the castle workers were, he had the coloration of the ones that roamed free in Green Greens, and the wilds beyond. He stood at the karaoke machine having just finished selecting a song, then gave a whoop of joy and ran onstage.

"Oh, he's at it again?" Iggy raised himself on the tips of his feet and over the counter. "I have no idea who he is, and none of the king's workers know him either. He came in early this morning, ordered himself a cheeseburger and a glass of apple juice, then climbed up on the podium over there and started singing; and that's what he's been doing since. But I'm not going to be the one to stop him, though – he sounds pretty good!"

The Waddle Dee on stage was dancing to a funky disco tune and sang in the Gamble Galaxy's common language with flawless diction, unlike the ones that served under King Dedede. He finished the first chorus of the song, then pointed at the small crowd in front of him to join in.

"Wan wan-ya, Wan wan-ya, Wan wan-ya, Wan-ya,  
Wan wan-ya, Wan-ya, Wan wan-ya, Wan-ya,  
Wan wan-ya, Wan-ya, Wan ya-ya!"

The Waddle Dees rang in, raising their hands up and swaying side to side in sync with each other and the music. The singer was entirely lost in the music, throwing his head back and belting out the lyrics into the microphone. He sang with such passion, such soul that it made the observers from afar wonder if he was an undercover celebrity of some sort in the Waddle Dee world. Nevertheless, everyone enjoyed the concert to his song's very end. He hopped down from the stage and made his way over to the machine again, immediately getting flogged by the adoring fans he had accumulated.

"Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here all week! Well, not really, so you better love me while you can!" The Waddle Dee addressed the throng, blowing kisses cheekily. "My name? Oh, sweetie, you can call me whatever you want. Uh, w-wait, I'm not ready for that kind of commitment!"

" _Aw_ _**gosh**_... those girls are liable to tear him apart." Rick gaped, almost pitying the poor man. "He better cut his stay down to five minutes or less and book it."

"In this snowstorm?" Coo raised a feathery brow at him.

"He speaks our language; why is that?" Kine wondered aloud. "None of the others do, so why does he?"

 **(** _Snowman - Earthbound_ **)**

"That's a really good point you just brought up there, Kine." Iggy acknowledged him with a nod in his direction. "You see, Waddle Dees don't get the best treatment. In a lot of places they don't have many rights to begin with, so they don't have many chances to get an education; because if Waddle Dees learned to speak the common language, their voices would be heard. Waddle Doos tend to have more benefits, so people like me and my brother Ivan act as their voices. That guy over there is one of the lucky ones, so I'd say he's an out-of-towner, probably another traveler."

"That's just rotten." The hamster commented with a scowl. "They get taken advantage of because barely anybody can understand them but they understand us, and to keep 'em like that, the ones in charge won't let them learn any better. I dunno what's worse - the fact that that's exactly what Dedede does or that there are more people out there who do this kind of stuff."

"It isn't fair, but it can only be helped so much." The Waddle Doo breathed out before his mood suddenly made a 180. "Oh, look at that; your food's ready! So, while you're dining, why not tell me what you guys were doing out there in that blizzard in the first place? Were you trying to beat the heat like most of the others that come to Iceberg?"

"No, you could say we're on a journey." Coo answered vaguely as he pecked at his lunch.

"Is it a secret?" He leaned over to whisper. "I'll tell you one of mine; I know all that snow out there isn't natural. It's coming from something strange up in the mountains. This only started happening about a week ago, and now it's out of control. Oh sure, it'll die down eventually, but who knows when it'll start up again?"

"Pardon, did you say these spots of bad weather began a few days ago?" The owl swallowed, a hint of dread in his tone.

"Sure did, and I'll tell you something else too - sometimes I'll hear roaring coming from up there too. People here like to say it's the Ice Dragon, the legendary protector of the island, but if that's true, then it sure isn't doing a good job! Because of this crazy weather, barely anybody's been stopping by - nobody wants to come to Iceberg anymore. And what's more, I heard from a buddy in the mainland that somebody named Nightmare made a rip-off version of it once and it froze the whole countryside!"

There was a lull in the conversation afterwards as they ate. Kirby and his companions collectively pondered if they should be honest with their host and disclose why they were there. He too had been affected by King Dedede's possessor's actions, so it was only fair that he be informed, they thought. He had proven himself to be trustworthy to them if a bit eccentric.

"To tell you the truth, Iggy, there's a good reason why the Waddle Dees can't phone Dedede." Rick began, setting his cleared plate aside, as did everyone else. "You see, he's been kidnapped by something abominable, and well..."

From there, Kirby and his friends began recounting their adventure so far to the perplexed Waddle Doo. They explained that the abnormal weather was likely a direct result of the puppeteer's influence and that they needed the power of the fabled Rainbow Drops spread out across the islands to defeat this new evil. He listened intently, the normally talkative cyclops remaining silent throughout. Finally, when their explanation had come to a close, he stared at them unblinkingly for the longest.

"...I see." He said at last, his expression unreadable.

Abruptly, he left not only his place behind the counter but the entire room as well, leaving his guests in a stunned state of silence.

"What was _that_ all about?" Rick exclaimed when he regained his voice. "He waddled off so quick, you'd think he was on fire!"

"I must admit, his departure was rather troublingly sudden..." Coo vocalized with his beak downturned.

"You don't think he's mad at us, do you?" Kine sadly asked none of them in particular. "I mean, it is sort of our fault that we let Dedede get away from us, and now Iggy has even more problems..."

"Poyo..." Kirby uttered, feeling the most guilt out of anyone from the fish's statement.

A few minutes later, what could only be described as a giant mobile pile of winter clothing came shambling towards them, a familiar pair of orange feet going barely noticed at the bottom. It stopped directly in front of them, then a muffled voice said from within,

"This should be enough, right? Or do I need to get more?"

Iggy slipped on a wet spot on the wooden floor that had escaped his notice, wool hats, mittens, scarves, and shoes flying in every direction as he stumbled. A stray boot went sailing through the air and smacked a poor unassuming Waddle Dee in the forehead, sending him tumbling backwards in his chair with an alarmed squeal.

"W-Wanya..." _'I'm okay...'_ , the Waddle Dee assured, though his swirly eyes seemed to indicate otherwise.

" ** _Sorry!_** " The Waddle Doo cried out sympathetically.

"Iggy, what is all this?" Coo observed, lightly prodding at a scarf sprawled in front of him with the tip of his wing as if it were something dangerous.

"Snow duds." He answered incredulously. "You said you were going up in the mountains where that Rainbow Drop should be at, right? The storm may have passed for now, but you'll need all this if you're really going out there again. A crisis is happening in Dream Land and the islands, and you're taking charge? You're good people."

The four simultaneously looked towards the nearest window and saw that the blizzard had indeed subsided.

"Now, before any of you say you can't take this stuff, think of it as a deal. You can borrow my winter gear as long as you guys promise to come back here after you've got the Rainbow Drop or it starts getting dark out there, whatever comes first. Or if it just gets too rough out there, that too."

"We couldn't possibly-" The owl began, but he was cut off.

"I _insist_!" The Waddle Doo cut him off, holding up a few hats and mittens up to them to check their sizes. "Just let me do a little more for you great guys. There's already so much meanness in the universe, and I think the best way to fight against it is to be a little nice yourself. Sometimes the people that were nice to you stick to your memory a lot better than the ones who were awful to you, I think."

" _You're_ the one that's great, Iggy." Rick spoke up, grabbing a scarf from the bundle, "We promise we'll be back, one way or another."

"Tankyu!" Kirby said politely, picking out a hat similar in design to the Waddle Doo's.

"I don't know if I can wear any of this, though..." Kine expressed unhappily then the young Star Warrior placed a fuzzy red cap with a white ball at the end over his dorsal fin. "Okay, that works!"

After the four of them finished dressing to combat the elements, they headed out the door and into the bitter cold once more.

* * *

Their enemy was truly brilliant this time around - a master strategist.

 **(** _Ice Ruins - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds_ **)**

The wall of ice blocking the entrance to the cavern slowly began melting with a long hiss as Kirby spewed flames from his mouth using his Fire ability he had gained from yet another rogue demon beast, the already familiar Efreeti. The pink puffball and his friends stepped inside, and at the end of the chamber's hallway coiled around the pedestal where the Rainbow Drop rested, was the Ice Dragon.

Their enemy had anticipated their eventual arrival, so King Dedede's possessor had located the supposedly mythical great lizard of the icecaps swiftly after it had escaped from Kirby last night and recovered. Using its power of corruption, it manipulated the peaceful creature to seal itself inside the chamber and ordered it to throw Iceberg into a winter unlike any the island had ever experienced. The Ice Dragon was forced to obey the whims of the dark being; however, its influence would eventually wane, sending the dragon to a short period of sleep. When it awoke again, the cycle was repeated.

Kirby and his trio of animal friends would cross paths with the beast, or not reach the fourth relic at all. A sound villainous plot, but luckily for them, it was unconscious at that moment, giving them the opportunity to snatch the prismatic stone and possibly heal the dragon before it awoke. The young Star Warrior seemed to have unlocked the hidden power residing in the Rainbow Drops while they were in his possession, so it was possible that fighting the Ice Dragon would be unnecessary.

 **(** _Rainbow Drop Chamber - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Coo lifted the puffball into the air, being mindful of his blazing crown and flew close to the pedestal, leaving Kirby hovering directly over it. The child motioned for the owl to lower him, continuously doing so until the Rainbow Drop was within his reach. He grabbed the stone and almost let out a victory cry, but covered his mouth with his free paw before it could escape. Then, as Coo carefully flew away from the dragon, it happened...

" ** _Achoo!_** " Kirby loudly sneezed, the sound bouncing along the room's walls.

His body jerked, and he accidentally dropped the colorful stone. It fell from his grasp as he and Coo quickly grabbed at it in the air, but the Rainbow Drop clattered noisily onto the floor. Everyone slowly turned towards the Ice Dragon, the giant reptile having sat up and was staring at them with its beady black eyes. Then it yawned and curled up to sleep again. Kirby tiptoed over to the oval stone and picked it up, then rejoined his friends' sides. They all gave a quiet sigh of relief.

"Man, that was _**too**_ close!" Rick voiced.

 **(** _It's Boss Time! - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

The Ice Dragon then shot up from its spot and barreled towards the hamster within a span of three seconds. He screamed in fright, angering the dragon even more. A dark aura surrounded the great ice lizard as it screeched, sounding more as if it were pained than enraged. This Ice Dragon was smaller than Nightmare's, being only a little over twice as big as Kirby, but its roar was absolutely deafening. It leaned forward and spewed out a gigantic wave of snow and ice, aiming it directly at them.

Kirby retaliated with his own elemental breath, spouting fire as he took a protective position in front of Rick, Coo, and Kine. Both snow and fire clashed against each other, leaving a growing pool of water on the floor the longer they fought. Spinning its tail, the Ice Dragon propelled itself to get closer, and the pink puffball found himself being pushed back and losing his breath. He coughed and teetered backwards, emitting puffs of smoke from his mouth. Rick and Coo yanked him out of the way before the dragon could flatten him as it leapt.

It craned its head upwards to face the ceiling then blew its frosty breath, creating sharp icicles that dangled above them. It lifted one of its feet and stomped once, the ice falling around Kirby and his friends like a rain of knives.

"Aaaah! What do we do? **_What do we do?!_** " Kine shouted as he narrowly avoided being struck by flopping around.

"Firstly, Kine, stop splashing around." Coo answered calmly, but the fish was in hysterics now.

" _But all I can do is_ _**splash**!_ " He yelled back, " **AAAAAH!** **_Somebody help me!_** _**AAAAGLUBUBUB!**_ "

"I think His Majesty's possessor's wave of corruption is starting to affect him." The owl spoke to the other two, pointing to the furiously flailing Kine. "Even here, I can feel its eye peering at us... _unnervingly_. Kirby, we must put an end to this battle posthaste! Either fight or retreat for now!"

"Quick, on my back!" The hamster commanded. "I'll go in with you, Kirby! It's my big mouth that got us into this mess to begin with!"

The puffball jumped onto his back as they charged towards the Ice Dragon. Rick picked up speed, then made a magnificent leap into the air, then Kirby sprang from his shoulders and unleashed every ounce of firepower within him left. A ring of embers surrounded him as his body was covered in flames.

" _ **Fireball Inferno!**_ " He shouted, engulfing the dragon in the heat of his ability while also being sure not to leave any damage that would last - it was an instance where he had a perfect understanding and control of his ability.

Once the light died down, they were left with a trembling and scared Ice Dragon. It squeaked with confusion and fear, covering its eyes as it fled from the premises and higher up into the mountains. The legendary lizard of ice was, in fact, a delicate and timid creature. Seeing it running away yelping, Kirby couldn't help but find the true Ice Dragon cute - it wasn't hurt at all, just painfully shy.

"Well, another job done, another battle won!" Rick said with a satisfied grin.

"You were the exact reason why this happened in the first place..." Coo reminded somewhat snidely, though his remark went entirely ignored.

"I'm sorry I was so useless, guys..." Kine frowned, ashamed of himself. "I just couldn't do anything all of a sudden but panic! That was scary..."

"It okay!" Kirby patted his hat-covered fin reassuringly. "No your fall!"

"It's not your fault, Kine, is what he's trying to say." The owl translated, "And he's absolutely right. I have a deep feeling, no, _certainty_ that something more sinister was at work here..."

 **(** _Winter at Night - Story of Seasons_ **)**

As promised, the four returned to The Wander Inn afterward when nighttime was approaching with the Rainbow Drop in hand. The Waddle Dees were lined up at the counter or sitting at the tables waiting for their dinners, and the mysterious singer had taken his place back onstage to serenade the guests as they did so. Iggy came to greet them as soon as they stepped through the door, the bell above the frame jingling to inform him of their presence.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me hanging!" The Waddle Doo cried out, though the slight wetness of his eye definitely indicated that he was worried - his lower lid was covering half of his eye, giving off the impression of a smile or grin.

"We found it, Iggy." Rick reported with a happy nod. "And the bad weather was because of the Ice Dragon, but it wasn't its fault. It was being controlled by that thing that's got Dedede. It's alright now, but it ran away after to who knows where up higher in the mountains. I guess it went to wherever its home is."

"So that old legend was true after all..." Iggy mused aloud with wonder. "He must be awfully good at hiding. I go up into the mountains all the time when I'm not here, and I've lived on Iceberg for years! But that's not really important right now, is it? Why don't you get those wet clothes off and I'll get you some more blankets and hot chocolate? You guys start thinking about what you want for dinner."

In the end, all four got exactly what Kirby had ordered for lunch - it was just too good. They all wordlessly agreed that one day they would try the entirety of the menu up to their preferences when the Rainbow Islands weren't at stake, but for now, the Maxim tomato bisque was deliciously agreeing with their appetites. Iggy had already talked them into staying for breakfast, so Kirby and his friends would get a taste of the other side of the menu in the morning.

Once they finished eating, the pink puffball and his friends sat in front of the TV with their blankets and mugs of hot chocolate and experienced programs outside of the king's controlled channel. They saw a movie about a modest young lady Waddle Dee who was cursed to transform into an old withered version of herself by a jealous witch. She journeyed out into the wastes beyond her town and met a handsome Simirror who resided in a mechanical mobile fortress. Everyone watched until the credits rolled, feeling the same sense of happiness yet simultaneous emptiness as one does when finishing a good story.

Several of the Waddle Dees around the television set stood up and stretched, most of them on their way to get ready for bed while others chose to stay up a while longer. Kirby and his friends decided it was time to sleep as well, so they tracked down Iggy so he could escort them to their room.

"Aren't the rooms kind of crammed with all the Waddle Dees here?" Rick asked as they made their way to the stairs, he and Kirby carrying Kine in his washtub with them.

"Oh no, not at all!" The Waddle Doo answered. "Several Waddle Dees will stay in one room since they don't mind and usually prefer sharing with each other - they're very communal. So there are still plenty of rooms available; this place is bigger on the inside than it looks. You four don't mind sharing a room, do you?"

As they climbed up the steps, a black object on the wall by the stairs caught Kirby's awareness - a phone.

"You have working phones here, too?" The hamster inquired, noticing the pink puffball's stare.

"Sure do! You're free to use it if and whenever you want."

Iggy showed them their room; two beds and a bathroom equipped with hot and cold running water were present. In the corner was a little bookshelf filled with different genres of literature, and a table was at the center whenever a guest felt like eating in their room instead of the lobby. It had a comfortable and homey atmosphere.

"Let me know if you need anything else. If you can't find me sometime during the night, it's because I've gone to my room, but don't let that make you hesitate from asking me anything. It's behind the door down the hallway on the right side of the lobby. A long time ago, that's all there was of this place before I decided to expand. Yep, I built this entire building with my own two hands...but that's another story for another time! Goodnight! Sleep tight! Don't let the Scarfies bite!"

Once Iggy left, Kirby silently walked over to one of the beds and sat down on the sheets with a frown, capturing the attention and concern of his animal friends.

"Is something on your mind, Kirby?" Coo asked, fluttering beside him.

"'ick." He responded quietly, looking miserable.

"Sick? Oh dear..." The owl quietly panicked. "Ah, there's a bathroom right over there if you need it..."

"It's not that kind of sick, Coo!" Kine interjected, suddenly very perceptive. "He's sick on the inside! You know, emotionally - in the heart! He's homesick!"

"Homesick, eh?" Rick scratched under his chin in thought, intriguing Kirby's curiosity as well as the others'. "Well, I think I might know a way to help out with that..."

* * *

 **(** _File Select - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team_ **)**

Fumu, Bun, Sword, Blade, and Gooey chased Dorun down every nook and cranny all around town; there was never a moment of rest for them following the cry of that one wailing woman. The thief had snatched her purse, and along with that, most of Cappy Village. Their pursuit of him had lasted literal hours, and they simultaneously wondered how on Pop Star the chief wasn't losing weight from doing this at least once a week.

They hunted him down until Dorun was finally cornered in a small cave in the village outskirts, no bigger than Kirby's single-room house. It was discreet enough for it to go largely unnoticed but big enough for the thief to stow away his stolen goods. The group found him lying atop the pile of purloined possessions as if he were some sort of dragon, giving them the stink eye as if _they_ were the ones who had come to take away all that he had tirelessly toiled for.

His treasure hoard consisted of a small handful of jewelry he had stolen from Gangu, several bags of potato chips of varying flavors from Tago's grocery store, the dramatically screaming woman's purse, five bottles of grape wine from Samo's bar, Kawasaki's frying pan _and hat_ , a microwave, a signpost he had ripped up from the ground from who knows where, three tomatoes and a watermelon, someone's shoes, a microwave _oven_ , and a very confused Waddle Dee that had accidentally gotten kidnapped when he just came to town from the castle to run an errand.

Dorun growled at them and tried to make a break for it, but Gooey stretched himself out and blocked the entrance to the cave so he couldn't escape, forcing the thief to surrender and peacefully return to the village. Fumu and the rest of her group paraded him around town forcing him to give back everything he stole personally, giving nonverbal apologies to each person. Sato thanked them kindly, and the chief was thoroughly impressed with the blob for his work - another set of citizens were befriended and on his side.

During their round about the village, Gooey had picked up a pair of rings that the burglar had dropped. Alarmed, the squires had told him they were stolen items and had to be returned, but were shocked further when he tried to gift them with the rings - all along he had never wanted any jewelry for himself. Gooey had repeated Blade's earlier explanation and said that it was something to be given to show appreciation to people you love. As touched as they were, the squires still had to explain to him that they weren't theirs to keep.

Later that evening after they parted ways, Fumu had once again resumed her research of the Rainbow Islands, poring over the book even at the dinner table as she maneuvered the silverware and food towards her and away from the pages. Parm and Memu agreed to let this go for now, but agreed to ban reading at the table should it start to become a regular thing.

 **(** _Larry Butz ~ When Something Smells, It's Usually Me - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations_ **)**

An abrupt knock on the door much like the one the previous night interrupted her focus. Before she could move to open the door, and rather irritably for having been taken away from her study, it swung open revealing Sword and Blade on the other side. In the darker green armored squire's hand was a briefcase of some sort, and it looked heavily weighted.

"Sword, you should have waited for someone to answer first..." Blade complained, sending the family what must have been a sheepish glance.

"Alright, Lady Memu, is any of this yours?" Sword questioned, ignoring his brother as he opened the case, having already picked the lock with a bobby pin beforehand.

Inside was an assortment of jewelry; most of it being rings, but a few necklaces and bracelets were stored away as well. The squire had acted rather casual as he stepped into the apartment and slammed the satchel on the table for everyone to look at, but the husband, wife, and children were collectively stunned speechless.

"Sword...where did you get these from?" Bun was unsurprisingly the first to regain his wits.

"Do you remember how there were still some blank spots behind the glass when we gave Gangu's jewelry back?" He asked, and Fumu and Bun nodded. "Well, I heard Escargon had a secret collection of jewels stashed away somewhere in the castle-"

"So he stalked him this entire evening and actually managed to find it." Blade finished, almost sounding impressed. "Whenever Dorun would drop an article of jewelry he had stolen, and it went unfound, Escargon would go out into the village and retrieve it for himself. Most of this is Gangu's property, but we noticed there was a surplus when comparing to what was missing from his store. We wanted to be certain and check if any of this belongs to you, Lady Memu."

"Th-That's the ring your father gave me when we first became a couple!" She nearly shrieked, grabbing the golden band with the heart-shaped ruby and holding it close to her chest.

"And that's the ring and bracelet set I was going to give your mother for our anniversary _last_ year!" Parm exclaimed, taking the two pieces of jewelry out of the box and presenting it to his wife. "Ah, happy late anniversary, honey... I should give Escargon some good fisticuffs for this; acting the part of a crook rather than one of the country's officials..."

"If that's everything of yours, then Sword and I are going to take this stuff back where it rightfully belongs." Sword announced, snapping the case shut and hoisting it over his shoulder.

"But it's awfully late to be going out now." Memu replied with a slight frown. "Gangu's probably already gone to bed by this time. Couldn't you wait until in the morning to give those to him?"

"Sword doesn't want Gangu to know who returned this set of jewelry." Blade leaned over to gossip to the family. "Isn't he modest? He actually intends to break inside the store and leave it on the counter so he never learns the truth."

"What a guy..." Bun remarked with a shake of his head.

"But wouldn't you like to stay for coffee first?" Memu offered, making the young men hesitate and rethink the urgency of their mission.

"Can I have some too?" The boy jumped up and down excitedly.

"You're too young to drink it. You know that."

Bun pouted all the way to the couch, sinking into the cushions with his arms firmly crossed and his lower lip stuck out. Sword and Blade sat between Fumu and Bun with their mugs in hand, lifting their armor whenever they took a sip. The blonde barely paid them any mind, her attention having gone back to her book. Finally, after a long period of quietness, the younger of the two squires spoke and dared to ask the question that had been on everyone's minds for the past twenty-four hours.

"What were you and Sir Meta Knight talking about last night?"

Everyone in the room stiffened, Bun shuddering in apprehension and Blade sending Sword a concealed look of objection and disbelief. Several seconds passed by in total stillness, only being momentarily broken when the phone unexpectedly rang. Memu softly excused herself from the ensuing conversation to go answer it, leaving the rest in the living room to deal with the aftermath of Sword's baneful curiosity.

The blonde placed a bookmark on the page she was currently reading, then shut the book and set it aside without making so much as a sound. Her eyebrows knitted together momentarily, but a small sad smile soon formed on her face as she found herself looking out towards the balcony.

 **(** _Unused Track; "Song For Friends (Instrumental Ver.)" - Little Busters!_ **)**

"...It was about Kirby, but I'm sure you figured as much already." She answered at last, her response going accompanied by a weak laugh. "We played chess, then after that he went on to explain himself with a lot of metaphors _about_ chess. We came to an understanding with each other - and then he left."

"...That's it?" Sword and Bun inquired, gob smacked.

"That's it." She confirmed offhandedly as she turned away to avoid their intense stares.

What she had said was the truth, but not the complete truth. Meta Knight had come to speak with her in private, so the discussion between them must have been meant to be kept between them solely. It was an answer, while also not a whole answer. Unknowingly, she was emulating the facet of his behavior that drove her frustration beyond its limits - the withholding of information.

"Just to be clear, I'm not mad. Not anymore." She continued, giving yet another half-truth. "I said so last night that everything was going to be okay, and I meant it. And I'm sorry I made all of you worry this entire time."

"Fumu, dear, we were worried because we love you, just as you love Kirby." Parm expressed, the others nodding in agreement. "It feels so strange to me; not long ago we were talking about Kirby taking his time growing up, and now he's traveling apart from us. Being worried over that is nothing to be sorry for - it's all a part of loving someone, no matter how old or capable the person is."

"...Thank you, papa. I needed to hear that." She said, smiling earnestly for the first time since Kirby's forced departure from Dream Land. "I just wish I could talk to him, though...but Coo hasn't shown up outside at all, has he? I guess he doesn't want to be exposed to more drama; I can't blame him if that's the case."

"Fumu..." Her father leaned down to her height and wrapped his arms around her consolingly. She complied, throwing her own around his neck as she began to quietly sob.

"I miss him, papa. I miss him so much..." She whispered into his shoulder.

"I know, sweetheart. I know. I do, too." He comforted her with soft words, not at all dumbstruck by the sight of his daughter's tears. "We just have to be patient is all; be patient and believe in him."

The same could not be said for Bun and Blade. They both sat there awkwardly, internally wondering if they should say something as well to comfort her or if they should leave the Cabinet Minister to handle her emotional outburst. Sword was a bit more helpful, reaching into his brother's pouch for a handkerchief and offering it to Fumu along with a few reassuring words of his own. She thanked him and unlatched herself from Parm, taking the cloth and dabbing at her wet eyes with it.

"Is...isn't this Blade's?" She sniffled, the pattern stitched into it seeming familiar to her.

"Yeah, it is."

She snorted at what must have been imagining Blade's stupefied expression under his helmet, the other squire's posture suggesting that he hadn't even realized that he had been pickpocketed. Fumu took one last shuddering breath, then her shoulders began to relax. The girl felt somewhat embarrassed for her crying episode, but at the same time, she couldn't deny that she had felt an immense weight was lifted off her.

"Fumu! **Fumu!** " Her mother shouted, hurriedly stepping into the room with the phone in hand and an enormous grin on her face. "A certain someone wants to speak with you!"

"Who?" She asked, perplexed, but received no answer, Memu only responding by handing her the device. "Hello?"

"Hi, Fumu!" A familiar cheerful voice came through loud and clear from the speaker.

" ** _Kirby?!_** " The blonde gasped, causing everyone around the couch to jump in surprise at her volume.

"I'm at Aeeburg!" He continued happily, "Rick, Coo, and Kine are here! And I mished you! I mished you a lot!"

"I miss you, too!" She replied with a growing grin as she stood up with the phone, her book tumbling to the floor without her notice, forgotten entirely.

"Hey, don't hog the phone all to yourself!" Bun yelled, making grabbing motions at the air as he tailed after her. "I wanna talk to him too!"

"Me three! I have a something or two to say!" Sword added as he rose from his seat, followed immediately after by Blade. "Yes, I as well would like to speak with Kirby..."

Parm and Memu watched as they trailed after Fumu all around the living room; she chattered on and on with the pink puffball as the three not so patiently waited for her turn with the phone to end. The married pair looked at each other for a moment in complete silence then burst into spontaneous laughter, both somehow knowing that everything was going to turn out alright.

Unknown to anyone, outside the family's apartment stood a cloaked figure, the door cracked open just wide enough for his golden gaze to view inside. He watched the scene unfold for some time, a faint smile forming on his lips as his eyes glowed azure. The knight emitted a soft laugh, sounding bittersweet, and discreetly closed the door without another sound, a sense of longing manifesting within him as he made his way down the hallway - alone.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I must say, the writing in this chapter felt different and slightly weird at times to me, more often than not. Iceberg is the fourth island in the game, placing it right in the middle of Kirby's adventure in this arc. I eventually decided to allow this to be a "cooldown" chapter, letting sections of the story write themselves and for action and the plot to take more of a backseat than usual. As a result, there's quite a few references, world-building, and bits of foreshadowing present.

First and foremost, why I chose to begin this chapter with Kirby and his friends journeying to Iceberg rather than continue off from last chapter's cliffhanger. It was meant to make the reader question what happened afterwards; I suppose it could be called a case of show and don't tell at first. The reader knows that Kirby is on his way to the next island, so did Meta Knight go back on his word, or did Fumu choose to let Kirby go? After the first section in Iceberg, I then revealed the conclusion to their discussion.

Secondly, a lot of this chapter seems to be centered on or involves Waddle Dees, specifically the ones that work for King Dedede. If anyone has watched certain episodes of the anime, it's apparent that he doesn't treat them well at all. He sees them more as things than living and intelligent creatures capable of thought, but whether this is out of malice or simply his own ignorance has yet to be elaborated on. In short, he's really mean to them. Later in the story, his mistreatment of the Waddle Dee race will come up again and become a point of plot.

Next in line, the bit about Sword and Blade's birthday. Not only do they not know when their real birthday(s) is/are or if they're even related, they also don't know who actually is the older or younger of the two. Sword and Blade have designated the roles of younger and older brother respectively to each other, and that's what they've chosen to stick with. Their shared birthdate comes from the Japanese airdate of their day-in-the-limelight episode, "Sword and Blade, Loyal and True / Hour of the WolfWrath".

Moving onward, Iggy the Waddle Doo. I'm not sure if calling him an OC would be correct, as he's meant to be the helper Waddle Doo from Super Star/Ultra, just with an expanded characterization and role. So far, Kirby and his friends have set up camp on the islands they traveled to and ate meals together, but I thought it wouldn't be as easy for them to find food and shelter in Iceberg. Rick, Coo, and Kine were familiar with the three islands before as well, so I felt they needed a helpful guide. His name came from the name of my Waddle Doo plush with the same likeness. I looked at him and thought, "You look like an Iggy to me.", so I named him Iggy. The hat he wears is the Winter Hat from Don't Starve, but unfortunately the plush Iggy doesn't wear one; even though that exact hat does exist in real life, but not in his size.

Also, there's a few nice references to be found inside The Wander Inn, particularly one to the old BETA version of the story in the karaoke scene. That mysterious singing Waddle Dee? Longtime readers should have a good idea of _exactly_ who he is. Additionally, the song he sang up on stage is a real song. He's supposed to be singing "September" by Earth, Wind, and Fire. Where the crowd of Waddle Dees join in is the 'ba duda, ba duda' part of the song, and my favorite part, I might add!

I hadn't really intended for the last section in Dream Land to result in Fumu bursting into tears, but after thinking it over, I believe it's a very human reaction to everything she's going through. Even though she's accepted the fact that Kirby has to make steps on his own without her guidance, her emotions towards this were still there and needed to get out somehow. Her father doesn't beg her not to cry either - he holds her tight and encourages her to let her feelings out. People cry for a reason, and when someone cries over something that may seem silly or not worth it, chances are that what they're crying over is actually something much bigger, and that little something was just the metaphorical last straw.

As for that bit at the end with Meta Knight? Well, I could elaborate on exactly what he was doing lingering outside the Cabinet Minister's door, but on the other hand, part of me would like to leave it up to speculation for now and see what you readers think he was _really_ doing there...and what he may have been feeling at that particular moment. Anyway, this will be the last time he appears for most of the rest of this arc.

Finally, even though this was meant to be a fun "cooldown" chapter, I'm going to pretend that I didn't suffer through the planning and writing of the first half. This chapter probably would have been done and posted half a month ago if it hadn't been for that. By comparison, the second half only took me six days to start and complete. Still, it's finished in its entirety now and I'm more or less satisfied with how it turned out, so I suppose that's all that really matters. Next chapter is where things start heating up - literally.


	10. Red Canyon

Chapter 10 - Red Canyon

By the time Kirby and his party awoke, it was five minutes past eleven. It had been days since anyone had slept in proper bedding; they wanted to relish that feeling for as long as they could. Kirby and Rick had taken the two beds, Coo perched himself on one of the headboards, and Kine stayed inside his washtub. It was a welcome change from sleeping on the ground outside exposed to the elements, but their journey must continue onward. It was time to get up.

 **(** _Winter - Harvest Moon DS_ **)**

A few minutes later when the four went downstairs to the lobby, they found all the Waddle Dees had woken up far sooner than they and were going about their business the same as yesterday. Their kind tended to be early risers since their occupations required them to do so, but while the castle servants were here, they could start and end their day at whatever time they liked. It was a taste of freedom they had long since forgotten, but the Waddle Dees knew they shouldn't make a habit out of sleeping in now.

The mysterious Waddle Dee singer had left sometime last night without a word. In his place on stage was a quintet of Waddle Dee girls bouncing around, their choreography perfectly in sync with each other as they sang a cheery bubblegum pop tune. Their voices sounded adorable, but it was impossible for Kirby and friends to tell what exactly it was they were singing. Somehow they had the feeling that even if the girls could speak the Gamble Galaxy's common language, the lyrics would be nonsensical and weird.

"Hiya, fellas!" Iggy called to them from behind the counter. "Did you sleep well? You must have; I thought I was going to have to go up there and make sure you all were still breathing!"

"Please forgive us; It's been quite some time since we were able to sleep as comfortably as last night." Coo admitted sheepishly with a downturned beak. "Is that offer of breakfast still on the table?"

"Of course it is! It's only a bit after eleven-thirty in the A.M., so that means it's still breakfast in my book! Besides, I'd cook anything from the morning menu if somebody asked. Who am I to tell people what they can and can't eat at what time of the day?"

Iggy and his employees immediately set to work on their meal. Kirby ordered a stack of syrupy pancakes with whipped cream piled on and topped with a strawberry, Rick and Coo requested fruit salads with yogurt, and for Kine...more pickled jellyfish. The other three made certain to avert their eyes or otherwise risk their appetites being soiled by the unsavory image. If the ocean sunfish had the anatomical ability to do so, he would have shrugged at their collective responses, but he didn't, so titling his body slightly to the side in his washtub would have to do.

"Hey, Iggy, where do you get all of this food from anyway?" Rick asked as they waited for their orders. "I mean, it isn't like there's a supermarket a few blocks down from here..."

"That's a good question! The boats that come here deliver our stock now, but when this place first started out, I depended mostly on trades and equivalent exchanges. Sometimes people wanted something you can only get in Iceberg, so I would give them what they wanted, and they would give me foodstuffs that came from the outside. Then there were other times when I accepted that as payment for a night's stay. Of course, if they didn't have anything like that on them, I could never turn them away; that would just be too cruel! But usually, they would come back and repay me in person, or send me something through the postal service. This system is still in place, even though I don't have to rely on it as much as I used to anymore."

"What an innovative business technique..." Coo remarked, his tone impressed. "We'll be sure to repay you appropriately for your kindness once our journey is over."

"Aw, I didn't tell you that last bit hinting for you to pay up later." The Waddle Doo clarified as his chefs came out of the kitchen, placing Kirby's and his friends' orders on the counter in front of them. "I think what you've done to help the Rainbow Islands is already an overpayment on your part! Because of you guys, folks will start coming back to Iceberg now that those random crazy blizzards have stopped."

"We're glad that everything can go back to normal for you, Iggy!" Kine said happily as he peeked over the edge of his tub.

"Although...there is something else you guys could do for me." He started slowly as his single eye glanced elsewhere, a hint of hesitance in his voice. "If it's not too much trouble, I mean. But I don't think it will be. Otherwise, I wouldn't trouble you with it in the first place."

"And what's that, Iggy?" Rick questioned, although with slight nervousness at what his request would be since this was the first time the cheerful and chatty Waddle Doo had looked nervous about anything.

"Could you maybe...tell my brother Ivan that I said hi? And that I miss him?" Iggy spoke quietly, his upper eyelid drooping slightly as he tugged at the hem of his hat and toyed with the two hairs on his head.

He had mentioned having a brother during their conversation yesterday afternoon, but none of them knew anyone in Dream Land named Ivan, much less a Waddle Doo bearing the same name. It was entirely possible that he lived on the other side of Pop Star, but Iggy's request would have made very little sense if that were true, as he stated himself that carrying out said favor shouldn't be too much of a hassle. It was when the four pals began mulling over who this 'Ivan' could be that the answer suddenly became perfectly clear to Kirby.

"Commander Waddle Doo!" He stood up on his seat in his excitement and shouted, causing several of the inn's other patrons to jump in alarm. "Commander Waddle Doo is your brothur!"

"That's him! You know my brother!" Iggy pointed and clapped, much to the shock of the trio of animal friends. "You guys said you were from Dream Land, and he got the job as leader of the king's army and translator for the troops, so I thought you must have seen him around or at least heard of him! Ivan is my twin brother; he's the older one of the two of us!"

"No way...all this time Commander Doo had a twin brother and we never knew it. He never said anything about having a younger brother on Iceberg!" The hamster stated with a disbelieving shake of his head, but then he realized the insensitive implications behind his statement. "Oh stars, I didn't mean that like it sounded."

"No, it's okay. I understand how it probably seems, but there's no bad blood between us." The Waddle Doo went on to explain, "He's just busy is all. He works for the king and is in charge of a big army of native language-speaking Waddle Dees all day every day all year 'round. He always has his hands full, and his work is never done, so I understand why he can't just drop everything to come and visit. I thought I would get to see him when I heard about the king's construction project being here, but the place was strictly off limits to anybody not involved. I used to get letters from him every few weeks when he first got employed, but now I'm lucky to get two a year. I've stopped sending them as often as I used to too because I don't want to bother him when I'm sure he's swamped as it is..."

"Dedede. _Is_. **The biggest jerk**. _**On the planet...**_ " Rick muttered through clenched teeth; Coo and Kine nodded their heads in agreement as Kirby winced.

"I'm sorry! This talk is starting to get depressing!" Iggy hurriedly changed the conversation's tone, taking note of the dark aura surrounding the hamster. "Anyway, if you could just tell him that I said hi and that I miss him, that would be more than enough for me. And please don't tell him about all that I just said; I don't want to make him feel guilty when I know there isn't a thing he can do about it."

"Well, alright, Iggy. If you say so..." Rick conceded; he would respect the Waddle Doo's wishes even though the fire of anger in his gut was still burning brightly.

"Once you guys are finished eating I can give you a ride to the Rainbow Bridge, or what's left of it anyway. But you said so before you had a way to fix that, right? Oh, but don't rush yourselves to finish eating! Take your time - I'm not ready and raring to go just yet."

After they had devoured their breakfast, Kirby and friends headed out the front door with Iggy, the Waddle Dees amicably waving and bidding them farewell in their native language. He locked the door behind him from the inside and led them to a small garage located to the side of the building that went unnoticed by the four yesterday. He raised the metal door to reveal a scooter-like vehicle with two side cars attached.

 **(** _Snowman - MOTHER 3_ **)**

"This is my snowmobile! I couldn't bring it out yesterday because I didn't want to risk crashing out in that snowstorm, but it's ready to tread frozen ground today!" Iggy announced, taking the helmet lying on the handlebars and putting it on over his hat. "There's some safety gear for you over there on that table. Rick and Coo can squeeze comfortably into one sidecar and Kine the other. Kirby, you can sit on the back of the seat behind me - there's plenty enough room for us both."

"Iggy...where on Pop Star did you get this thing?" The hamster inquired, his mouth agape with awe.

"One day a few years ago, my employees and I went out for a walk and found it lying in the snow. It was broken and wouldn't start up, so we brought it back and fixed it up good as new. Nobody ever came back to reclaim it, even though we certainly advertised; so it became The Wander Inn's special delivery mobile!"

The four put on their safety gear as instructed of them and climbed in and on the bike. He revved up the engine, and the machine came to life emitting a soft putter rather than the roar of a motorcycle. They took off out of the garage and further into the land of Iceberg, the wheels treading across the snow and ice with apparent ease. The Waddle Doo was an excellent driver, paying caution to his surroundings just as he did when guiding them through the blizzard.

"You guys said you were going to Red Canyon next, right? Well, let me give you some advice about the island next door. Now, I'm going to warn you guys straight up - Iceberg is the _polar_ opposite of Red Canyon. See what I did there?" He turned around for a split second when he knew it was safe to do so with what must have been a cheesy grin among his kind, only to be met with unimpressed or oblivious stares in response.

"Booooo..." Rick heckled, accompanied by a disapproving glare from Coo directed at the Waddle Doo.

"I don't get it." Kine frowned, followed with Kirby bobbing his head in agreement.

"Uh, well, anyways, Red Canyon is hot. Like, stupidly hot beyond all reason. So hot that I could take a carton of eggs out there and fry them on a rock - I know so because I've done it before. There's a reason boats don't go out that way often; there's nothing but rocks and dirt out there, not to mention a large population of Gordos and Scarfy packs that like to scream all night long. Oh, sure there's an oasis somewhere around the middle of the island, but you still have a lot of trekking to do on dry land if you want to get there - _very_ _**very**_ dry land."

"Yeesh, I don't think Fumu mentioned any of that in our phone call last night..." The hamster flinched, glancing down at and pulling slightly on his fur worriedly.

"I always try and make sure to warn the folks that stop by The Wander Inn just what they'll be in for if they want to see all the Rainbow Islands. When you live in a place as cool and frosty as Iceberg, stepping into Red Canyon is like being slapped in the face with a hot waffle iron. The environment there definitely isn't kind to any aquatic creatures and the like."

"Well, it's a good thing we don't have any aquatic creatures and the like to be concerned over among our circle of friends!" Kine stated cheerfully, realizing about a full minute too late, "...Wait a minute - **I'm** an aquatic creature and the like!"

"Kine, maybe it would be best if you return home or go to Ripple Field," Coo suggested in a gentle tone so as not to hurt the sensitive fish's self-esteem. "Not because we don't enjoy your company or that we believe your presence would be a burden on us, but out of consideration for your health."

"Or you could stay at my place until Kirby and buds make it to Cloudy Park." Iggy helpfully chimed in, "The guy who runs the hot air balloons up there is my buddy, so I have a way to get you where you need to be when the time comes! And I could go with you guys into Red Canyon as your guide; the Waddle Dees at the inn may not speak your language too good, Kine, but they do understand it and could get you anything you might need. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm pushing in on you guys, but I'd be really sad if anything happened to any of you."

"Nah, you don't have to feel that way about it, Iggy. We understand, and that's a real good plan of yours," Rick spoke, then motioned to their fishy friend while knowing the Waddle Doo couldn't take his eye off of the road. "But this is Kine's decision too, so I think we all should let him figure out what he wants before we start jumping on what to do next."

"Oh, sorry! There I go again; talking up a storm and not giving anyone a chance to speak edgewise!" Iggy apologized again, slowing the machine down some and turning around slightly to address the fish. "What is it that you want to do, Kine? It's up to you, but keep in mind all that's been said up until now about Red Canyon."

"...I can't argue that if I go out there, I'll probably fry...or get carried off by a Scarfy. Or both." He answered after a brief pause, a tinge of fear present in his wide-eyed gaze. "I guess I should stay behind, but...would it be too much to ask for you to go back with me? This might sound kind of selfish, but I would like to have someone to talk to. Is...Is that alright with you, Iggy? Kirby? Rick? And you too, Coo?"

"Yeah, I can do that too!" The Waddle Doo immediately replied. "I'm so sorry, Kine! I didn't think about the fact that you'd be left with nobody to talk to! Even when you're surrounded by people, you can still feel lonely if it's that way. Is this fine with the rest of you guys?"

"Yes, I suppose we can safely venture into Red Canyon with just the three of us." Coo was the first to express his agreement, the others showing their approval with swift nods. "Our main priority on this journey is everyone's safety, so whatever works out best for Kine is what we go along with."

"Alrighty! Now that that's settled, we're closing in on the site of the Rainbow Bridge; you could see it on the horizon just overhead if it wasn't, you know, smashed to bits." Iggy pressed his foot on the accelerator pedal; the contraption gave a small jump before speeding off even faster than before - just when Kirby and friends thought they were about to drive directly into the ocean, the snowmobile abruptly stopped a few paces in front of the bridge's shattered base.

The pink puffball slid off the seat and retrieved the fourth Rainbow Drop they had found yesterday, then held it up to the sunlight. As the stone began to glow brighter, the chunks of gray rubble began rising from the ground and the surrounding sea, regaining their color as they fastened to each other and reconnected themselves to the base. In no time at all, the bridge connecting Iceberg to Red Canyon was completely repaired.

"Wow...now that sure was a pretty sight!" Iggy marveled, his eye wide and sparkling with amazement. "Well, this is where we have to part ways, right? I sure am going to miss you all, but I hope that we'll meet again someday. No, I'm sure that we will! I'll watch after Kine and have him sent up on the balloon ride to Cloudy Park tomorrow morning, but if it gets to be too much out there, you're welcome to come back anytime. You guys take care, okay?"

It had been less than a day since they had met, but the Waddle Doo already felt like family to them; everyone knew they would eventually have to go their separate ways, but none of them truly knew how painful it would be until the time had already come. Iggy gave each of them a hug before hopping back on his vehicle and starting up the motor again.

"Please be careful out there." Kine nearly pleaded, looking out toward the auburn island visible across the waves. "I may be the one that would be in the most danger in a place like that, but that doesn't mean that none of you are completely safe, either. Stick together and help each other out like always, okay? Even though it's just going to be for a day...I miss all of you already!"

The fish would have started blubbering if only he hadn't acknowledged that would impede his friends' search - nobody wanted to see anyone here cry. So, with their heads held high, Kirby and his trio of animal companions now down to a duo marched across the bridge and into the scorching hot island of Red Canyon.

* * *

 **(** _World 5: Red Canyon - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

It was noon, and the sun was positioned high above the land without a single cloud in sight. The isle was mountainous and barren, just as it had been frequently described. Though diverse in its landscape, with sandy badlands, deserts, caverns, and many different rock formations, two things were at a complete constant throughout: one, there were no signs of civilization anywhere, and two - it was unbearably **HOT**.

"This...This is it...I...I can't take it anymore!" Rick dramatically wailed to the sky, dragging his feet across the dry rocky ground as he walked. "I'm seeing red...all I can see is red. It's just too much..."

"Rick, please save your theatrics for another time. We've only been here for ten minutes." Coo scolded him, his tone a tad harsher than he intended it to be.

"Hau..." Kirby quietly whined, fanning himself with one of his paws; he moved behind Rick and into his shadow so his height could provide the puffball with at least some amount of shade.

"Hey, Coo? You don't think that thing possessing Dedede did something to mess with this place too, do you?" The hamster voiced his thoughts aloud, "It caused all those snowstorms in Iceberg by using the Ice Dragon, so maybe it's doing something to crank up the heat here."

"I wouldn't doubt that possibility for a second. Our enemy is growing more bold, more _devious_ in its diabolical plots to hinder our progress. Manipulating the Ice Dragon was only the first step; perhaps it's taken a leap forward and went so far as to tamper with this island's temperatures by putting _those two_ to nefarious uses."

"Those two? Oh, Coo, you can't mean-"

"Indeed." A deep, hollow, and frighteningly familiar voice echoed from nowhere visible, bringing the puffball and his friends to a standstill.

 **(** _No One Here - Mad Father_ **)**

Dark and heavy cumulonimbus clouds formed above in the skies, gathering together and blotting out the sun to create a pseudo-nightfall. The air around them chilled by several degrees. Across the earth slinked a black shadow almost indiscernible to the eye were it not for its bizarre form of movement. It stopped a few feet in front of the group then rose from its place on the ground, taking the shape of the cycloptic swordsman that had infiltrated Castle Dedede and abducted the king from his room. For everyone aside from Dedede, this was the first time they had seen this creature's other appearance, yet its identity was unmistakable.

"Greetings." The cloaked figure said in the same tone as one would when discussing the weather; cordially and without a shred of malice to be detected.

"What are you doing here?!" Rick shouted, he and Coo immediately going on the defensive, both hamster and owl jumping in front of Kirby to shield him from its cyclopean eye.

"I have come to speak with the star child. Do not make any attempts to hide him from me-" It raised itself into the air, leisurely floating towards the pair before suddenly squeezing past them as a liquidized form of matter and materializing directly behind the puffball. Kirby turned around with a squeak of surprise, coming face to face with the phantom. "-as I can see he is directly behind you."

"Quickly! Use the Rainbow Drops, Kirby!" Coo urged, followed immediately by Rick goading, "Yeah, Kirby; show no mercy! Turn 'im into a black goopy mess!"

The young Star Warrior hesitantly reached for the colorful stones, holding two in each paw but made no further move to hold them up to what little light remained and banish the shadowy creature. Even so, he could see its pupil shrink at the sight of them, the robed monster's gaze never straying too far from his hands as seconds passed in still silence.

Slowly and without breaking eye contact, Kirby lowered his hands to his side, then knelt down and placed the Rainbow Drops by his feet. Before either of his friends could verbally express their shock, Kirby decided to break the heavy silence surrounding them himself.

"You...want to talk?"

"Kirby! _What_ are you doing?!" Rick gaped, "Have you forgotten why we're even on this whacky adventure of yours in the first place? In case you did, here's a reminder - it's because of _that thing_ over there!"

"I must highly advise against giving into its request to converse." Coo chimed in immediately after, sending a wary glance towards their uninvited guest. "Have you not taken note of the fact that His Majesty is not in its company? This is undoubtedly a trap."

The owl had a point; from what little they knew so far, the shadow wraith had no reason to appear before them unless it was all a part of a diabolical plan. However, no one had the slightest clue just what that plan entailed, or if there even was a motive in the grand scheme of things in the first place. As unwise a decision as it may be, Kirby acknowledged that speaking with this creature would most likely unveil something about what was going on behind the scenes, no matter how miniscule.

The shadow wraith itself seemed to be in no hurry for them to finish their bickering with each other, yet if it had plotted an ambush then wouldn't attacking while they were distracted be the best move? Perhaps it truly did only come to talk and clear up the air of anonymousness encompassing this entire situation.

"Since it seems you are still gathering your thoughts, shall I postpone this meeting for a time more suited towards your convenience?" The black life form cleared its throat, calling attention to itself.

"That's oddly... _considerate_ of you." Rick pointed out with a sneer, taking a protective step forward with a nasty glare on his face. "What's your aim?"

"I clearly stated I wished to speak with the star child." The apparition repeated, though with a slight amount more force present in its tone than before - a not so thinly veiled hint for the hamster to remain silent for the remainder of the conversation.

"Even so, I'm afraid we must occasionally step in, as Kirby has only a limited grasp on speaking the galaxy's common language," Coo interjected, having now fully accepted that the pink puffball intended to go through with this. "However, in exchange for us going along with your frankly ridiculous request in the first place, you are to be on your best behavior. One false move and your existence _will_ be terminated."

"Very well. I will adhere to the terms you have set forth." It agreed, understanding just what those conditions were without having to be told. To show proof they had its full cooperation, the specter manifested a pair of shadowy disembodied hands and withdrew a glistening silver blade that was concealed underneath its cloak then tossed it to the side out of reach.

"I still don't like this, Coo. I don't like it one bit." The hamster mumbled worriedly under his breath.

"Patience. All will become clear in a matter of moments." He replied just as quietly, "I dislike this entire debacle just as much as you, if not more so, but don't forget, we have the means to defeat it or at the very least severely injure it in our possession. Kirby will not be harmed in the slightest under my watch."

"That's another thing. Before we begin, I would like to bring something forward." The cyclops's eye began to narrow slightly. "I would like to request that you cease referring to me as 'it'. I _can_ hear you. Use 'he' and 'him', not 'it' or 'that thing', or worse yet, 'monster'. It's very rude. I don't like that. Not at all."

"...I suppose there's no harm in obliging him." Coo said after a beat, turning to face his companion to find the same look of puzzlement on his face as well.

"He...he got offended over that." Rick blinked, his mouth slightly ajar. "I can't remember ever calling him a monster, though."

"Also, if I must have a moniker, then let it be Unknown. I was never given a name, so what else can I be _but_ Unknown, even to myself?" He continued, his speech beginning to sound less like unconscious ramblings and more like self questioning. His gaze moved slightly to the side as he spoke, almost as if he were no longer addressing Kirby and his friends but someone that lied beyond their range of vision. "I have a name, but it's not the sort of name I want. Could it even be called such? It is to be shared with them. I am the same as them, yet why am I also different? Different? Same? Is what they want what I want? Am I the sole one who feels this way? Feeling... Am I...different? Or am I defiant? I don't know...what I am anymore..."

Unknown shivered, his voice growing more and more faint with every word that carelessly tumbled out of his mouth. His two black misty hands reached up and out from underneath his mantle, sending everyone on edge. Rick was about to take matters into his own hands and reach for the Rainbow Drops, fully expecting the shadow wraith to strike them at any given moment. Instead, Unknown let out a soft whimper, slowly running one hand through his quills before wrapping both around himself, giving one last shuddering breath before composing himself entirely.

It was as if any of that never happened.

No one decided to comment on his unusual behavior for fear of triggering another spontaneous reaction.

"Why do you search for the Rainbow Drops, star child?" He asked, sending a cautious glance towards the stones resting by the puffball's feet. "Is it because...you wish to defeat me? To end my miserable existence?"

Kirby uneasily rubbed his arm, giving a slow, hesitant nod. It was true that he was gathering the Rainbow Drops to stop Unknown, restore the Rainbow Bridges he shattered, and rescue King Dedede from his clutches, but actually verbally confirming this to the face of his enemy was a difficult action to carry out now that he was acting less like a creature driven by chaos and more like a being capable of rational thought - and an incredibly sad one at that.

The young Star Warrior knew what this distinct foe had done was reprehensible, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of compassion for him. There was a hint of what he perceived as fear and uncertainty in Unknown's words. Regardless, Kirby would do what needed to be done in order to save the islands and the king of Dream Land. Meta Knight, the only other Star Warrior he kept frequent contact with, had told him repeatedly that their kind's duty was to vanquish evil - and Kirby held no doubts that what Unknown was doing was evil.

"...Why?" Kirby asked softly. "Why did you do it?"

"I beg your pardon?" The cyclops blinked.

"He wants to know why you're doing all this." Rick stepped in, his answer accompanied with a hard, icy stare. "Why did you kidnap Dedede and terrorize the islands along with all those people? Did you want to pretend to be him and get him into even more trouble than he's already in? Did somebody send you here for the job? Or are you just bored and looking for kicks?"

"You provided an answer to my inquiry, so I suppose it's only fair that I answer yours." Unknown replied as if they were discussing the weather over afternoon lunch. "Most of my deeds up until this point in time can be traced back to two reasons in particular. The first cannot be explained simply. His Majesty and I aren't that different. He and I, we're both nuisances, so to speak. I felt a sort of connection with him."

"So...you kidnapped him because you wanted a buddy?" The expression on the hamster's face was one that mere words could never hope to accurately describe. "Dude, that's messed up. _You're_ messed up."

"Conversing with others doesn't come easily with an appearance like mine." Unknown continued, not at all phased by his remark. "Not only did I feel a kinship with the king of your country, but claiming ownership of his body seemed convenient to me in order to properly communicate with the people of this planet. Or so I thought. No, they still seemed disturbed whenever I appeared before them. The form I've taken now isn't even my most basic one; this one was fashioned for the comfort of those I interact with."

"If _that_ is supposed to be a form you made so the rest of us would feel comfortable around you..." Rick began, completely ignoring the warning signals from his owl companion. "Then you missed the mark. By _a lot_."

"I am entirely aware of that fact." The specter commented dryly.

"You've given us your first flimsy excuse for your deplorable behavior, now what would be the other?" Coo interjected, moving to perch on top of Rick's head so Unknown could see his unimpressed and displeased expression.

"Oh, that." He blinked again, then threw up a hand without a care. "I was hungry."

" ** _Hungry?!_** " All three exclaimed with visible horror, huddling closer to each other.

"Starved, in fact."

"Oh my stars, he _**ate**_ Dedede!" The hamster screamed, taking several steps back as he pointed a trembling paw accusingly in his direction. "That's why he's nowhere to be seen! Because you already ate him from the inside out and now you're looking for someone else to fill your gut!"

"Oh, stop this nonsense. Your king is safe in a location that will remain presently undisclosed. He has fallen into a deep sleep, but I give you my word for what it's worth that he is very much alive." Unknown calmly explained as they scrambled around in panic, taking in the mayhem unfolding before him with a phlegmatic air. "Allow me to elaborate before I'm forced to endure more exaggerated theatrics due to a misunderstanding. I have the ability to gain sustenance by feeding off emotions. No, I should say it's less an ability and more a necessity. And it just so happened that His Majesty appealed most appetizingly to my particular tastes."

"So to summarize, you abducted His Majesty because you were lonely and famished? Starved both literally and figuratively for companionship?" The owl raised a feathery eyebrow, holding a wing to his forehead as he felt he could faint at any moment from the absurdity of it all.

"Lonely is such a desperate, rather pathetic adjective to use...but yes." The plates of armor on his shoulders rose lightly as he shrugged. "I don't understand the hostility you bear towards me. I lingered for several days out of sight beforehand, and it would seem the entire populace of your country utterly despises him. He is aware of this fact, too. His misery...is most delicious. I suppose your kind would liken it to only the most decadent of this sweetened delicacy known as chocolate. But that's beside the point. My curiosity has reached its peak; why do you wish for his return when His Majesty is nothing more than a nuisance, even to you?"

 **(** _Unreasonable Behavior - OFF_ **)**

"Because..." Kirby began, offering a sad, but sweet smile. "Dedede is...a friend."

"...I don't understand." Unknown's voice dropped down to an unbelieving whisper. "A friend? From my field of comprehension, that is the last term that could be used to describe your relationship with each other. I searched his memories. Why would you come so far to rescue someone who dislikes you so and you yourself dislike?"

"Listen, I never thought I would be sticking my neck out for Dedede of all people, but..." Rick spoke up, taking a brave step forward. "You're right about one thing; Dedede is a nuisance, and just about everyone except Kirby here can barely stand to be around him for more than three minutes. Cappy Village and Dream Land as a whole probably _would_ be better off without him in it...but that doesn't mean that just anyone can go around and do whatever they like to him! He's a person, a fellow living being! He may not give anyone besides himself any consideration at all, and there were some times during this adventure when I thought to myself if saving him would really even be worth it, I'm a little ashamed to admit, but I've decided I'm not going to let myself sink down to the level where I'd shout hip-hip-hooray if something awful really did happen to him! Dedede at least deserves that much respect, even after everything he's done to the rest of us."

"I agree wholeheartedly." Coo immediately followed up with his own thoughts on the matter. "His Majesty has put us all through a hefty amount of grief in the past few years, Kirby most of all, and truthfully I can't see him stopping anytime soon. However, there is still a chance, although a very slim one, that King Dedede may one day realize his faults and wish to change his ways. You said so yourself that he is aware of the town's disdain towards him, and it has brought him despair. Those were your exact words! It's true this may never come to be, but if we completely turn our backs on him and his life, then that possible future will never become a reality!"

"I don't understand. **_I don't understand..._** " The spectral being repeated over and over, one hand's palm pressed firmly against his masked face while the other raked erratically through his long tentacle-like quills. "I thought we would come to an understanding with each other, but it would seem I was mistaken. I should have expected as much. Is this what's commonly referred to as disappointment?"

"Quit your yammering and tell us where Dedede is!" Rick loudly demanded, all signs of hesitation gone.

Unknown didn't answer. He slowly hovered towards the sword he had discarded. Kirby reached for the Rainbow Drops, but instead of attacking them, he lifted the weapon with a trembling grip and stowed it away under his cloak. Unknown faced them once again, his breath sounding ragged as he attempted to contain his anger and remain civil.

"So, you want your miserable king back this badly, star child? Very well, then. We'll fight for him. But not now, not here." He then raised one hand and pointed a spindly black finger towards a large mountain in the far-off distance, barely a silhouette on the horizon from where they were standing. "Over there lies the chamber along with the stone you seek. Directly above are the guardians of this land - two celestial sprites representing the sun and moon. Do battle with them, emerge victorious, and claim your prize. We will meet again on the next island."

"Now see here-!" Coo began to scold, but he went ignored entirely - Unknown had said he wished to speak with the star child, so he held no interest in listening to anyone else.

The shadow wraith then sunk into and became one with the ground, vanishing on the spot without another word. The dark clouds began to gradually dissipate, and the heat from before returned, eventually becoming the blistering inferno they had known when they first stepped foot onto the island.

As the seconds ticked on, slowly and without sound, Kirby felt himself growing weak. He stumbled backwards, catching himself before he could fall on his back and settled on the ground into a sitting position as he clutched his throbbing head.

"Kirby, did that guy do something to you on his way out?" Rick hurriedly rushed to his side along with Coo, the owl laying a wing on his forehead concernedly as he checked his temperature. "It couldn't be a case of heatstroke, could it?"

The puffball shook his head, wincing after doing so. His pain had nothing to do with a surprise assault or the humidity; he was confused. Terribly, terribly confused. His first assumption was that the terrible creature who spirited away King Dedede had been a rogue demon beast originating from elsewhere, but demon beasts were a force of pure ignorant evil according to his wise mentor - they couldn't speak more than a few simple sentences if they spoke at all, much less make attempts to reason with their adversary. And yet, a being that survived by benefitting from the misery of others could only be categorized as evil, just of a different sort.

"A lot of good talking it over did for us." The hamster grumbled. "We didn't learn anything useful from that at all except where the next Rainbow Drop was. Why do you think he would have told us that, Coo? Is he just messing around with us or what?"

"I believe so." The purple avian replied, regret discernible in his tone. "He stated his motives rather brazenly, and from my perspective, everything so far seems to be a game to him, and what fun is a game if you don't give your competitors a sporting chance? As shameful as it is, a part of me is curious as to what pitiful explanation he would have given for the destruction of the Rainbow Bridges and his transporting of Kirby to the islands if one of us had thought to ask."

"We should have rainbow blasted him when we had the chance..." Rick groaned as he felt a few drops of sweat begin to trickle down his forehead. His gaze turned upwards towards the now empty skies above, he balled one paw into a fist and shook it in the air shouting, "If you really wanted to give us a sporting chance, you could have left the spooky dark clouds!"

* * *

 **(** _Friends Theme (Reunited) - Pokémon X and Y_ **)**

"Hey, Fumu!" Honey called to her friend from across the street, accompanied by Iroo and Hohhe. "We were going to the fields to play. Do you, Bun and Gooey want to come with us? Mr. Sword and Mr. Blade, you can come too!"

"Sorry, we were kind of hoping to get Gooey on Professor Curio's good side today." The blonde explained apologetically.

"What? You mean he's _still_ on probation?" Hohhe remarked with disbelief. "Why? Look around us! Cappy Village is just about as rebuilt as it can get, and it wouldn't have gotten done this quick without his help! The townsfolk oughta be grateful to him!"

The young Cappy had a point; the humble town's reconstruction project was now more or less complete. All the buildings that had been damaged or destroyed had been rebuilt or refined with the wood from their woodland excursion, everyone had resumed their occupations and businesses - there wasn't a single person in the village that couldn't move on with their life, yet some tensions still remained.

"Well, yeah, he did cause this whole mess in the first place..." He continued but was quick to confirm where his loyalties lied. "But still, he did a great job helping fix everything up good as new, so that practically means everyone could pretend it never happened in the first place and it'd be completely believable!"

"It's not that easy, Hohhe." Iroo timidly interjected with a small frown. "Gooey's done a lot to apologize for what he's done, but I don't think everyone will be ready to forgive him until he's personally apologized to and worked hard for the ones that are still mad at him. Fumu has the right idea, but he could work for a whole year or two maybe and still not get forgiveness. It's not fair, and it might be harsh for me to say that, but I think stretching the truth would probably be a worse thing for me to do."

"You're talking about your dad, aren't you?" Bun asked, willing to eat the strap of his overalls if he was wrong. He got a slow nod as an answer.

"Yeah. Dad's still boiling under his cap over all the crops being eaten. At first, I was just glad it wasn't Kirby that was at the end of all this, but now that Gooey's our friend..." The boy nervously toyed with the ends of his hair tied up in a short ponytail, trying to avoid the despairing look on the blob's face. "I was hoping he had calmed down after that night when you talked to him and the others, Fumu, but every time he goes into the empty fields to work early in the morning, I can hear him grumbling to himself non-stop. He told me I shouldn't talk to or even be around Gooey because he would only end up being trouble, but...I showed up here anyway."

"Woah, Iroo! Talk about gutsy!" Bun exclaimed in genuine awe, a huge smirk overtaking his face. " _You_ ignored an order from your dad? You're out of control! What's next, are you going to draw graffiti on the police station and paint polka dots on the mayor's car?"

"Make jokes if you want, but I've been doing some serious thinking the past few days." Iroo resumed, shifting from twiddling with loose strands of his hair to unconsciously and shyly rubbing his arm, his soft tone never changing despite the sense of resolution present in his gaze. "I'm not trying to start a rebellious streak against him. I don't want to be a bad kid. Dad doesn't tell me to do things and not to do things because he wants to control my life, he does it because he loves me and wants to keep me safe. But he has a bad temper, and that makes him say and do dumb things sometimes. He's holding a grudge against Gooey, but this grudge is only going to hurt him in the end. Holding onto a grudge isn't good for him or anybody, really. It's not healthy. I'm disobeying him out of love. So, whenever you guys are ready to face my dad, let me know. I'll have your backs completely."

"Iroo, you're not a juvenile delinquent...you're a real man!" Bun replied, his tone impressed. "I guess Miss Lilah's elbow jab of justice alone just isn't going to cut it this time. At least we'll have you _and_ her on our side when the time comes."

At that moment, everyone's minds could only form the mental image of both mother and son simultaneously striking the cantankerous farmer in the sides with their elbows - they wondered if Iroo had not only inherited Lilah's sweet temper but also her signature move. The future on the horizon looked bright indeed...

"Hey, if we aren't going to play, why not let us tag along and help out?" Hohhe offered, Iroo and Honey bobbing their heads in agreement with his idea.

"Really? You want to help Gooey?" Fumu inquired, astonished.

"Why would we joke around about something like that?" The boy grinned, hunkering down to eye-level in front of the blue blob. "Sure, the work will probably be boring, but what can ya do when one of your own's in trouble? I don't care what some of the adults are saying; no matter what you are, you're also a troublemaking kid just like the rest of us. And we kids have gotta stick together, right?"

"Thank you, guys...thank you so much!" The girl cried out gratefully. "I can't promise that none of you will get into trouble, but we'll do our best to make sure that doesn't happen."

"If worst comes to worst, we'll just get Sword to yell at everyone again." Bun piped up, causing Blade to snicker quietly to himself.

"...I'm never going to live that down, am I?" The squire asked sourly.

"Why complain? That took guts to do, especially after seeing what all those villagers are capable of if they get riled up enough." He cackled, tossing his head back. "I'm going to make you a town legend, Sword."

"Why me?" He almost whimpered in response, covering his already masked blush with his gloved hands as his brother and Bun laughed, everyone else joining in at poking at his expense.

 **(** _Age, Regret, Reward - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney_ **)**

"Mr. Curio should be home." Honey said after they had reached the archaeologist's abode. "He hasn't left his house much lately since he's trying to put everything back together like it was before the accident. Maybe he'll appreciate it if we ask to organize his things for him?"

"Lololo and Lalala are his junior assistants now, so he should have plenty of help." Bun seemed to grumble, though he had nothing against the man - he was however still a bit sore over his friends and foster siblings being taken away from him by the subject of history. He was fine with it at first, but he practically never saw the two now and was no longer sure how to face them or make conversation with the pair anymore. "Can't we go find someone else instead?"

"The only ones left are him and Benjamin, so would you rather we turn around and make our way over to the farmers' district?" Fumu asked snidely.

"...No."

"Good. So, let's get our work day started with a positive outlook, shall we?" She said with a smile, raising her hand to knock on the door.

After doing so, they waited. And waited. But nobody came to the door. Fumu rapped her knuckles against the wood again with a bit more force, but there was still no response. The children pressed themselves closer to the door and grew quiet and still, then they heard the sounds of movement inside the house.

"He better not be ignoring us!" Bun half-whispered, half-growled.

"Professor Curio wouldn't do that!" Fumu frowned at him. "He's probably just absorbed in his research. It wouldn't be unusual for him."

"Professor Curio, if you're in there, please come to the door!" Honey pleaded, but her request too was met with silence from the other side.

As the children clamored around the doorway, Sword and Blade crept away to the side of the building to peer inside through one of the windows. They could see the town's archaeologist scurrying around the room, placing artifacts on shelves, attempting to assemble pieces of olden statues and vases on the floor, and analyzing a passage from one of the many books opened and crowding his desk. Alongside that, it appeared he was juggling several other tasks as well, but even so, he should have been able to hear the increasingly loud voices outside. It almost seemed as though the professor _was_ indeed making every effort to disregard their presence.

"He's in there alright, but he hasn't looked towards the door once since we got here." Sword reported to the children, "He's running around, arranging his shelves, putting stuff together, reading, and doing pretty much everything _except_ pay us the time of day."

"Well, I guess we're just not wanted here." Hohhe sighed, giving the disappointed blob a comforting pat on the head.

"Come along, now. There's still plenty of daylight left for playing." Blade began ushering them away, sending a bitter glance towards the house as he spoke in a slightly louder volume than normal for him. "Someone who won't even come to the door is hardly worth our concern, yes?"

"I don't understand. This isn't like Curio at all." Fumu thought aloud, unsure whether she should be worried for or upset with the professor.

 **(** _Guildmaster Wigglytuff - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

Nobody had noticed Sword hadn't moved from his spot, the squire's gaze focused intently on the wooden structure in front of him, his hand halfway towards the doorknob. He slowly lowered his hand, before suddenly raising both fists as he began frantically pounding on the door with a loud shriek of,

" **TRICK-OR-TREAT!** "

If anyone had asked, Sword would say he didn't know why he did it either. Maybe it was because he didn't like being ignored, maybe it was his wild streak acting up, or maybe it was the dejected look on Gooey's face as he turned away from the house, but whatever the reason, he did it. He continued to shout the holiday phrase, his volume steadily increasing until he was sure the entire village, castle, and his lord (wherever he was), could hear his screams as they continuously and ceaselessly echoed in their minds in the most obnoxious manner possible. After everyone had turned around and before anyone could react, finally a soft click was heard somewhere amidst the madness.

The door then swung open, revealing a somewhat disheveled Curio, his eyelids drooping and his posture and step somewhat concerning. He leaned against the doorframe for support, his words coming out as mumbles from what seemed to be lack of sleep.

"Hello, children! Is it already...that time of year already?" His wobbly gaze then fixed itself on the pair of squires, both of them frozen in place. "What wonderful costumes! Just wonderful! Now you wait right there and I'll go get your candy!"

Curio went back inside and came back half a minute later with a rolling pin and a mixer, handing both objects off to Sword and Blade respectively with a pleased smile.

"Oh, you...shouldn't have..." Sword murmured as he scrutinized the kitchen utensil in his hand, he and everyone else having simultaneously pieced together what was happening to the good professor.

"Do you not like that flavor?" The corners of Curio's mouth turned downwards. "You don't like it at all, do you? It's alright, you don't have to stretch the truth to spare my feelings. Don't go anywhere and I'll try to find you something else-"

"Professor, please," Sword nearly begged, "This isn't candy; this is a rolling pin and that in my brother's hands is a mixer. It's not the Pumpkin Festival - that isn't for over half a year from now. Today isn't even a holiday as far as I know. You're stumbling around and slurring your words. It's obvious that you haven't slept well in quite some time, so before you hurt yourself or give away your entire kitchen, why don't you go tuck yourself into bed and take a nap?"

The older Cappy seemed to stiffen at that. He gave Sword a hard stare but said nothing. This went on for an uncomfortably long time, neither the squire nor the archeologist, nor anyone else for that matter daring to speak a single word. When the stare-down's duration reached nearly two minutes, finally Curio spoke.

"Okay."

And with that, his eyes closed and suddenly he was tumbling forward. Everyone shrieked with alarm as they held out their hands and arms to catch him and hold him upright as his loud snores began to fill the air. Steadily, the children and the squires took his own arms and grappled with his weight as they started to drag Curio towards his bedroom.

"This is going to be one of those days, isn't it, sis?" Bun wheezed. "He weighs almost as much as the trash can!"

"Don't compare the professor to a trash can!"

"Hey you two, I can understand the sudden need to start a sibling argument more than anyone, but can we save it for after this guy's been safely put to bed?" Sword squeaked his request, doing his best to disregard the eyes of his brother boring holes in the back of his head.

"Why did you say 'trick-or-treat'?"

"I don't know! I guess I unconsciously wanted candy? Don't look at me like that! I'm sorry! What else do you want from me?!"

"Hey, it's alright, Sword. Don't sweat it." Hohhe interjected, almost tripping over a loose floorboard as they tiptoed across the living room doing their best to avoid the fragments of pottery strode about. "It got him to the door, didn't it? And who knows what would have happened to the professor if we hadn't shown up? Plus, aren't you and Blade still pretty young to be worrying about being embarrassed over liking candy?"

"Candy and our youth or lack thereof is not the issue here!" Blade squawked before going into a long-winded rant on them both.

"Iroo, I think I accidentally stepped on a clay bowl, and it broke..." Honey's voice trembled as she forced herself to look ahead. "The professor is going to be so mad when he wakes up!"

"I-It's okay, Honey! Professor Curio is bound to have glue here somewhere, and I'm really great at puzzles! We'll have it fixed up so well he'll never even know the difference! I promise you can count on me!"

"Puzzle?" Gooey said quizzically, letting go of the Cappy to inspect one of his many unfinished projects on the floor before climbing up on one of the shelves.

"Gooey, no!" Fumu cried, abandoning the others to pry the curious gooball away from the professor's work.

"Yep. It's one of those days alright..." Bun moaned to himself aloud as he hung his head.

* * *

It took several hours of walking through the insufferable heat, but Kirby and his friends had finally reached the oasis Iggy had told them about.

 **(** _Red Canyon - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

When they reached the safe haven, they were immediately greeted by a group of Waddle Dees who lavished them with food and water they had drawn from the wells their little tribe had built. There were others aside from Kirby, Rick and Coo taking shelter among the greenery, tourists most likely, having been trapped on the island when the Rainbow Bridges were shattered. The Waddle Dees couldn't stand the thought of them traversing the merciless badlands that lied beyond, so they set up a care station for those stranded. Helpful creatures that they were, neither Kirby, nor anyone else for that matter could understand a word they spoke, but their presence was most definitely appreciated.

Once they rested up and filled their bellies, they were off again. Soon Kirby would be forced to combat two more poor corrupted citizens of the archipelago. Though the young Star Warrior had already fought several others under the same influence, it made him no less nervous. The possibility of actually leaving lasting damage on his opponents was a terrifying one, and he had to exercise the utmost caution when using his abilities. For this, he knew it meant getting hurt himself on occasions, something he was also afraid of, but what kind of poor excuse for a Star Warrior would he be if he ran away from danger at a time like this?

"What's wrong, Kirby?" Rick asked, noticing the puffball's sour expression. "You getting homesick again?"

"No, poyo." He answered rather somberly. He was longing for the comforts of home and the familiar faces of his friends back in Dream Land, but that wasn't what brought his current mood.

Kirby turned his attention towards the mountain and frowned.

"Oh, I get it. You're nervous about fighting again, aren't you?" The hamster guessed, earning a nod from the downcast puffball. "I can understand that. The only things you've fought up until now were demon beasts, but this time you actually have to be careful about holding back. You've been doing great about that so far, but I guess thinking about it too much would make anybody nervous."

"It takes a truly heinous individual to stoop so low as to drag innocents into the line of battle." Coo remarked, namelessly referring to Unknown with a snarl in his tone. "His toxic influences over the wills of others are too powerful - already he has terrorized Whispy Woods, Nruff, Sweet Stuff, and the Ice Dragon. And now he has control over Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright..."

 **(** _Sea of Stars - Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea_ **)**

"Kirby, I'm not trying to make you more worried than you already are, but those two are going to give you trouble. We already learned back on Iceberg that the Rainbow Drops alone aren't enough to cure somebody from that freak show's mind magic. There's nothing we can do except face them head on, and the both of them are tough."

"I'm afraid Rick is correct." The owl sighed as he too looked towards the horizon, the mountain growing ever closer and more formidable in appearance with each step they took. "As Unknown previously stated, Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright are two sprites that embody the sun and the moon. They hold the role of guardians of the island, and whenever they must fight, they are in perfect sync with each other. When in this state, they act as though they can communicate with each other without the need for words. And perhaps they do - sprites are mysterious beings, and very little is known for certain about their kind."

Kirby felt his heart sink at that. He would have to fight two strong creatures _and_ know exactly how much to hold back if he did, in fact, prove to be stronger than them?

"Try not to sweat it too much, okay?" Rick continued, giving the puff a comforting pat on the back. "I mean, I know there's a lot at stake here, but agonizing yourself over it isn't going to make it any easier for ya when we get there. Just take a few deep breaths, and remember you're not going to be alone up there, either. You know Coo and I have got your back, right?"

The child gave another little nod as he offered a wobbly smile, shaky and obviously forced, but a smile nonetheless.

"Oh man, I think we just made everything worse." Rick whispered to Coo from behind his paw, the two now dawdling a few paces back to speak out of earshot.

"I believe so as well. I only thought it was fair that we warn him of what lies ahead, but I suppose it did more harm than good. He's not worried so much about being outmatched, I believe, but more so over accidentally injuring his entranced opponents. As capable a young fellow as he is, this really is entirely too much duty and stress to place upon a child's shoulders."

"Yeah, poor Kirby's always looking out for the rest of us even though he's just a little kid. That's practically all he's been doing since he got here on Pop Star." The hamster lamented with a weary grin. "Dedede kept him busy all the time sending those demon beasts after him and the rest of the town, but he always took care of them. He's so happy and carefree usually, but I couldn't help but think if he ever got tired of being the one that had to step up and clean up somebody else's mess. I know he's a strong guy, but now I don't really think it's right that he's had to pull that weight so much alone, you know? That's supposed to be his destiny as a Star Warrior, being the hero when nobody else will, but what even is a Star Warrior anyway?"

"They are beings wrapped in ambiguity, as I hadn't even heard of such a thing until shortly after meeting Kirby. I began gathering information from all over and apparently all that's known about them is they safeguard the galaxy and are chosen to do so at birth. By what, nobody can truly be certain. The stars that glitter in the heavens above seem to have some involvement, but as to what ends is anyone's guess. Perhaps it truly is left up to fate. All I do know without a doubt is, Kirby is special. Even among his own class, I believe this is fact."

"He is a pretty special little guy, that's for sure." His furry companion wholeheartedly agreed. "I just wonder what that means for his future, though. I'm not one that thinks about the future much - I'm the kind of guy that likes to live in the present. But this ain't about me. He's a kid now and probably does everything he's asked to because he thinks there's no other choice for him. He doesn't really think much about it now, I guess, but maybe when he's a little bit older..."

"We're here." Kirby's tiny voice interrupted their hushed discussion.

Rick and Coo's heads snapped up in slight alarm to realize that they had indeed reached the mountain's base. At its peak was where Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright awaited them, and somewhere beneath the summit's floor was where the fifth Rainbow Drop was being held.

"Well, I suppose this is where we begin our climb. Or rather, I could carry the both of you to the top with ease." Coo suggested, eyeing the sharp jagged edges of the pinnacle with the mental note that treading such ground on foot would not be made easy or fun for any of them.

"That sounds like an idea." The hamster agreed. "The sooner we get this over with, the better. The sun's already starting to set even though it doesn't feel like we've been here long, even with this awful heat all around us. At least Kine got out of having to suffer through it with us. That creep Unknown is probably using Mr. Bright's powers to make it even worse all around Red Canyon."

"I wouldn't doubt that possibility for a second. Are you ready, Kirby?" The owl felt as if he forgot something. "A copy ability! We haven't picked up nary a one since setting foot on the isle, and you can't very well stand your ground without one! Now, ah, let's see what we have here..."

 **(** _Blade of Banishment - Highly Responsive to Prayers_ **)**

Before he could begin scanning the surrounding area in search of something the puffball could use, suddenly a dark shadow of a person dropped down from a cliff above and landed directly in front of them. It was a humanoid wearing the purple garb of a ninja and in both hands; he wielded short sharpened blades. His sudden appearance was silent and unexpected; as any ninja's ambush should be, but apparently this was where all similarities ceased.

"I am Waiu, the third greatest of Yamikage's disciples!" He shouted loud and clear for all in the vicinity to hear before abruptly moving onto his life story and motives. "Many years ago, Yamikage deserted the Galaxy Soldier Army and joined forces with their nemesis, Nightmare! I, too, went along with him, and served at his side those many years under his grand tutelage! One day, not too long ago, maybe a little over two years, give or take, my master was transported to this planet and was defeated by a young Star Warrior! And that Star Warrior is you - Kirby of the Stars! I won't stand for it! Surely his humiliating loss was a fluke, so I, Waiu, will avenge him here and now!"

"...Eh, I suppose he'll do." Coo shrugged after a short pause.

* * *

 **(** _Inside a House - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D_ **)**

After Gooey and company safely guided the comatose professor to his bed, they immediately set to work on cleaning the chaos he had left behind. They didn't dare tamper with any of the projects strode about the house or anything relating to his research for fear of hampering Curio's progress. However, the rest of his home was still a cluttered mess of confusion, and Fumu knew more than any of them that the historian liked his living environment spotless.

The overworked Professor Curio had spent the past few days juggling between tasks of doing his part in assisting the rebuilding of the town, catching up on his passion of archaeology, and tending to his daily chores. As time ticked onwards, he found himself staying up later and therefore sleeping less, but was still taking on the same duties as the day before. Eventually, it all caught up to him, leading to the creation of the disoriented man the group of helpers saw in the doorway. Even with Lololo and Lalala's frequent aid, he still wound up in the situation he was currently in.

Fumu and the others peeped into the kitchen and saw that before he came to answer the door, at some point Curio had apparently attempted to make himself breakfast or lunch, which somewhat explained why he tried to gift Sword and Blade with a rolling pin and mixer respectively. This room too was a complete disaster, and perhaps what was even worse was none of them could see any signs of the professor having completed his mish-mash of a meal.

The blonde took a blank piece of paper from Curio's study and quickly wrote out a plan of attack. Firstly, they decided what among them must be trash and what was to be left alone for now, however in order to avoid any potential panic from the professor, they agreed to not throwing anything away until after he had woken up and personally went through what they had gathered. After that, they then set their attention on putting the objects still strode about in their proper places. Afterwards, the team split off into two; Bun, Hohhe, Iroo, and Gooey took care of tidying up his living area while Fumu, Honey, Sword, and Blade tackled the kitchen.

 **(** _Cooking with Zess T. - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door_ **)**

Since it seemed the poor overworked professor hadn't had a proper meal in a while judging by the multitudes of empty ramen containers and microwaveable TV Dinners in the trash bin, they then thought it would only be kind to prepare dinner for him. Curio's kitchen supply, unfortunately, was considerably low, so the trio of Cappy children then scampered off to their own homes in search of ingredients while the others tried to make do with what they had at their disposal. What little the archaeologist had proved to not be enough to create a fully satisfying meal, so Fumu, Bun and Gooey had to make a brief trip to Tago's supermarket as Sword and Blade worked with what was left in the pantry.

Gooey happened to be in luck; Tago was the first person who had accepted his help, and he was still quite grateful towards the little blob for pushing the date of his store's re-opening forward. After hearing their story, he expressed sympathy towards the children's dilemma and paid for the groceries out of his own pocket. Once they and the Cappies returned to Curio's house about half and hour later, the squires were really ready to cook with fire.

"Are you really sure about this?" Bun questioned the pair with doubt in his tone as he eyeballed the cookbook they had retrieved. "Making all of this looks kind of...complex."

"You dare doubt our culinary talents?" Blade retorted as he tied an apron around his waist. "I am aware Sword and I entered that contest of His Majesty's with little a clue, but our skills have risen exponentially since then."

"And come on you guys, just who do you think is _really_ in charge of cooking all our meals?" Sword scoffed at them as he did the same. "Not Sir Meta Knight, that's for sure."

In the end, their confidence was understood - the pair produced a meal that looked picture perfect in comparison to the one in the book. It tasted just as good as well, the two letting the children sample the dishes before they were to be served to Curio.

After the group had finished, the sky began to tint orange signifying evening had fallen upon Dream Land. It was around this time that Lololo and Lalala had suddenly made an appearance in the doorway and the professor could be heard climbing out of bed and slowly shuffling towards the kitchen. His junior assistants made it there first, both being surprised beyond all reason that a crowd had formed in the good historian's home. Gooey's group swiftly caught them up to speed before Curio ever reached the room.

 **(** _Sympathy - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

The two had no idea that the professor's condition had ever reached that low of a point. They had noticed him becoming increasingly tired as the days passed, but he had never let them go any further than his study whenever they entered the house, which was usually a mess anyway but of the organized chaos sort - they had been left blind over the state of the rest of his dwelling.

"Stars above...," Lalala gaped and said with shock and horror. "How could we have let this happen to him?"

"We should have noticed something was off. The signs were everywhere!" Lololo nearly sunk to the ground in shame. "We're failures as assistants..."

"Guys, calm down a little." Hohhe went on to reassure them. "Nobody's really to blame here. The professor just passed out because he was too tired to stay up anymore after so long. He didn't have to go to the clinic, and all the junk that was lying around was just from the past few days - which is kind of terrifying that he could make that big of a mess in so little time. But I think since things have calmed down in the village now, this probably won't happen again."

"Even so, we're going to keep a closer eye on the professor for a while." Lalala announced. "After hearing this, we don't want to take the chance of things here getting this bad again."

"We can even help make his meals if he gets too tired in the evening - we've watched and helped Lady Memu cook enough to have picked up a thing or two." Lololo added, turning to Bun, "We might be late to dinner even more than we have been lately, and I know that we've barely talked since we started working with the professor, but we'll still have a seat at the table with your family, won't we?"

He didn't answer at first; he wondered what was taking Curio so long to get there, but after a few moments, "Yeah, of course you'll always have a place at the family table - because you _are_ family. But would it be too much to ask for you two to act like it, too? You're doing the same thing as him, just in a different way. You've both gotten so busy that you're shutting us out. I know you didn't really mean to do it, but we miss you guys. Talk to us at dinner. Tell us what's going on in your lives, even if it is all about boring old history! Because I miss having you both as family."

"Wow, Bun..." Fumu gasped, amazed at her normally tough-acting brother's open display of sentimentality. "That might be one of the sweetest things I've ever heard you say!"

"...We're so sorry, Bun. We didn't know." They both replied in unison. "We'll start talking more, and we'll even take breaks to spend time with everyone like we used to. I guess we got in over our heads with this part-time job business that everything else just started slipping away from us! We'll do better from now on."

"Well, now that that's taken care of," The boy continued, being all too eager to brush his sudden emotional outburst aside, "Where the heck is Curio? Did he walk in the bathroom instead and accidentally fall in the toilet?"

"That's odd. I could have sworn I smelled something cooking..." Curio said sleepily to himself as he padded into the kitchen, his eyelids still glued together. They opened into thin slits, then grew wide when he saw the feast before him and the ones who had prepared it. "W-What is all this?! It's not my birthday!"

"It's not the Pumpkin Festival, either, but you sure were convinced it was when you came to the door earlier." Sword remarked with one hand on his hip, "We all just thought we'd do something nice for you since you were too tired to even function. Gooey helped out a lot too, and don't worry, he and the rest of us didn't touch any of your projects that were lying around. Everything else though, yes."

His gaze fell on the blob who smiled up at him widely with the faintest hint of nervousness in his large dark eyes. The Cappy slowly padded over to him, then bent down slightly and rested a hand on top of his head. Gooey gave his hand a little lick, but the man didn't seem bothered by his unique display of affection at all.

The archaeologist's attention then went back to the spread on his countertop, closely eyeing the several different types of dishes present. Miso soup, stir-fry vegetables, maho tofu, chop suey, Peking duck, ochazuke... At one point, Fumu and the others were beginning to wonder if the squires intended to feed all of them or if they were trying to give Curio enough meals to last him the rest of the week. Nevertheless, Sword and Blade had chosen recipes that didn't consume too much time to make, and they were familiar with.

"Thank you for doing the cleaning while I was unconscious, but...I don't understand where all this food could have possibly come from. I didn't have most of the ingredients to make this in the refrigerator, the shelves, or the pantry."

"That's because most of that didn't come from any of those places," Hohhe answered.

"I brought the salmon and the vegetables." Iroo began, followed by Honey. "And I brought the seasonings!"

"The rest of this came from Tago." Bun added, "He said to consider it a kind donation, so don't try to pay him back like you usually do with everyone."

"...Thank you, children. Thank you so much..." He said quietly, feeling overcome by his own emotions. "Oh, but I couldn't possibly eat all of this myself! Here, sit down with me. I don't have nearly enough chairs here, but I do have some foldable ones sitting around somewhere in the closet. Ah, if only Kirby were here."

"Yeah, but then we might not get a bite to eat at all." Fumu replied along with a laugh. "I heard from him last night on the phone - he was all the way on Iceberg at an inn, and he's probably on Red Canyon right now! So that means by tomorrow he should be on Cloudy Park."

"So he's at the Rainbow Islands." Curio mused, seemingly lost in his memories. "I tried visiting them all once, but I only got as far as halfway through Big Forest before I gave up. I ran out of supplies, money, and energy. So tell young Kirby to finish his journey in my stead!"

"I actually can tell him, since Coo is supposed to visit tonight to pass on any messages he might have from him. It's not quite the same or as good as hearing and talking to Kirby on the phone, but it's a lot better than being kept in the dark."

They ate their meals and talked about a large range of topics at the table, no one more happy than Gooey, the blob boy who was steadily gaining a positive name and identity for himself in Cappy Village. Eventually, it became near dusk when the stars first began to appear and twinkle in the violet sky and it was time for the friends to go their separate ways for the night.

"You know what, Fumu? You seem happier today than you have been in a while." Iroo pointed out.

"You think so?" She pondered aloud, not having realized that the others had known she had been distressed these past few days.

"Yeah. You've been so worried about Kirby that _we_ were getting worried over _you_ being worried." Honey answered sweetly. "That phone call must have really put your mind at ease."

"If a phone call can do that much for you, you both should get cell phones!" Hohhe chuckled. "Out of any of us kids or even any of the adults here, you have the best chance of being the only other person besides Dedede to own one. Your dad's the Cabinet Minister, so getting your hands on a pair wouldn't be that ridiculous, right?"

"Ha! I wish! A cell phone might be the only thing Papa said he couldn't buy for me, and I didn't actually have any interest in owning one until now. You know Dedede doesn't like the idea of anyone else in the village having one, and Mama and Papa bend to his will a little too easily over stuff like that. Besides, everyone in Cappy Village lives so close to each other that we really don't have any need for them. A telephone works just as well if you really don't feel like getting out of the house to talk with someone."

 **(** _Lonely Apartments - Yume 2kki_ **)**

Later after everyone had left for their respective homes, Fumu stepped out onto her family's balcony to wait for Coo the Owl. Having already eaten dinner at Curio's house she wasn't feeling hungry, so she spent her evening quietly reading at one of the tables as she listened for the telltale beating of wings. She didn't expect him to appear immediately as he hadn't specified an exact window of time for their meeting, but the blonde didn't want to miss him either and force Coo to look for her in places where she wasn't.

An hour passed. Lololo and Lalala brought her a thick fluffy blanket as the night air grew colder. Shortly after that, her parents gave her a warm cup of honey vanilla chamomile tea and a plate of lemon shortbread cookies. But these things did little to ease her. Fumu nibbled on the treats and quietly sipped on her drink as the quietness around her grew, the stars increasing in multitudes above her, but no matter how long she waited, the owl never came.

She fell asleep clutching her blanket in one hand and her book in the other.

* * *

 **(** _Lentimas Town - Pokémon Black 2 and White 2_ **)**

Waiu had proven himself to be a foe that required next to zero effort to defeat. Amongst the wide array of enemies Kirby had faced in the past, it had to be the most lackluster battle he had ever taken part in. Waiu's incompetence was so undeniable that the young Star Warrior hadn't even gained the Ninja ability from defeating him, but rather the Cutter. Perhaps if the weapons he swallowed had been owned by a more proficient ninja, he would have gained the former ability. Nevertheless, after his own humiliating defeat, Waiu scampered away, his figure disappearing over the horizon.

Coo carried Kirby and Rick up to the mountain's summit where Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright were supposed to be, and where they would do battle with them. As if awaiting their presence, both celestial sprites were found to be sitting atop two boulders opposite to each other and their gazes fixed on Kirby as he came into view. Their expressions gave the pink puffball little comfort, a scowl on Mr. Shine's face and a sneer on Mr. Bright's, both displaying unexpected arrogance.

The pair never was what could be called humble - they took their roles as guardians and representations of the sun and moon, day and night with pride, and the few who looked down upon them were met with disdain. However, it was undeniable, even without Unknown's prior warning, that something was most certainly off with the two. The black phantom himself had openly confessed that he tampered with their mentalities, but it was no less alarming to see such powerful creatures had fallen so easily under his influence.

"What do you want? You have no business here." Mr. Shine coldly stated.

"We came up here to be left alone, so get out of here. Or do you three really think you can take the heat?" Mr. Bright smirked as the temperature around them rose by a few degrees.

"Listen. The two of you right now aren't thinking rationally." Rick began with caution. "I want you to try and calm down a little and think about what's been going on around here."

"I _am_ calm." The moon sprite deadpanned, the air around them beginning to cool.

"It would seem Mr. Shine has better control over himself in this state than the other," Coo whispered to his companions. "This may work to our advantage if their fighting style and communication level have suffered due to Unknown's interference. Stay strong, Kirby! We're here and ready for you."

"In case you didn't know, our names are Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright; a pair of celestial sprites saddled with the job of taking care of this island." Mr. Bright looked down at Kirby with scorn in his eyes as he rose above the three. "But there's nothing worth protecting here in this near lifeless place. Red Canyon is just a rock floating in the ocean compared to the rest of the archipelago. There's nothing special to be found - absolute zero."

"That's why we've given up on this place with no importance." Mr. Shine followed, his gaze flickering down to the young Star Warrior. "And yet, why is it that you, a child, has come here? Certainly you would be more entertained in a place like Cloudy Park - I would be more than happy to send you there right now."

His offer, said in the iciest tone imaginable, was definitely meant to be taken as a threat. The two sprites who were given this empty island to guard over were no longer satisfied with their roles - the dark puppeteer's hold had transformed their excessive pride and longing for adoration into a loathing for the island in which they resided, as well as a sparking jealousy towards the famed young Star Warrior who was showered with attention daily in his own homeland. Their desire for importance had grown so strong, so unstable the two were willing to eliminate the hero who saved the Gamble Galaxy if it meant living on forever in infamy.

"We rule both the night and day!" They shouted in unison, rising into sunset-dyed skies above as the pair prepared to strike. "This leaves no time for you, star child!"

 **(** _It's Boss Time! - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Mr. Shine became one with the sky, shifting into his dormant form as Mr. Bright rushed down for an attack. Before Kirby could be crashed into by the charging fireball, Coo quickly jerked him out of the way. He reached up for the razor attached to his hat and threw it at the sun sprite's back, successfully landing a hit. The moon sprite, from his suspension in the air, made a shower of stars rain down upon the summit, sending the three into a startled frenzy to avoid being struck. As they scrambled about, the crazed laughter of Mr. Bright could be heard behind them as he readied another assault.

Kirby swung down from Coo's hold and landed on Rick's back, tossing the bladed boomerang in the direction of their assailant once again. This proved to be even more effective than the previous attack, as his retaliation had brought out a cry of shock and pain from the sun being. A small scratch was visible on his face, but he acted as though he had been mortally wounded. Immediately, Mr. Bright switched places with his opposite half, leaving him in his dormant form and Mr. Shine descending to continue the battle.

Similar to Kirby, the moon sprite summoned a bladed weapon much like the one on his hat and flung it towards the three. Kirby, Rick, and Coo ducked at just the right moment, but the sharp edges had nicked off about half an inch of fur and feathers from the latter two. The owl gave a startled and anguished shriek that rivaled not only Mr. Bright's previous shout but even Tokkori's own shrill voice back at home. With a ferocity in his eyes that neither had ever seen from him before, he lunged at the lunar sprite at clawed at his face with his sharp talons. While Mr. Shine screamed in fright and made many feeble attempts to fight off the nocturnal bird, Coo had created an opportunity for Kirby to create a counterstrike.

Sensing his partner's distress in his dormant state, Mr. Bright hovered above the trio and released several short beams of harsh and painful sunlight. He successfully struck all three but was also uncoordinated enough in his attacks to have hit Mr. Shine several times as well. Coo's earlier assumption had been correct - the dark plague in their minds had caused their teamwork to suffer greatly. This was Kirby's greatest advantage, his open window of opportunity and their most unfortunate weakness in this fight. With enough finesse, it was entirely possible that the pink puffball could easily manipulate the pair to bring each other to defeat.

They switched places once again. Mr. Bright threw a fiery fist at them as he came closer, throwing punch after punch which they dodged with increasing desperation as the embers nearly brushed against their faces. Rick stuck out his foot as the solar sprite made another swing at Kirby, causing him to trip and giving the young Star Warrior another chance to attack. The pink puffball jumped up and charged forward to butt heads against his opponent, doing significant enough damage before another flurry of star-shaped projectiles were scattered down at them by Mr. Shine.

This formula began to repeat itself, the two swapping positions with each other as one attacked on the surface and the other from above, Kirby and friends striking the one left vulnerable at every opening. The battle dragged on, sometimes their opponents injured each other by mistake as the puffball predicted they would, but it seemed as if the celestial sprites would never tire. There were no signs given that their minds were anywhere close to being freed, and Kirby grew more and more concerned that his retaliations would leave damage that could remain permanent.

Finally, it seemed Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright had grown frustrated with them as the pair prepared their ultimate attack. Both shifted into their dormant states; Mr. Shine slowly began to hover in front of Mr. Bright as the temperature around them began to rise exponentially. The ground below began to burn. The sky looked as though it were on fire. It was a melting heat none of them had ever experienced before. Past the sound of sizzling in their ears, Kirby and friends could hear the cacophony of the sprites' laughter as they bought their time until the famed young Star Warrior would be finished.

Squinting his eyes to protect himself from the nearly blinding light, Kirby searched for an opportunity of some sort, anything that could save them from this unforgiving inferno they were encapsulated in. There off to the side was a small strip of shadow provided by Mr. Shine, existing only to put a handicap on his partner's abilities just as Mr. Bright did for him - a safety measure provided by the mysterious one who had assigned them their status as guardians should they become too powerful.

Kirby grabbed Rick and Coo in each paw and dashed towards the safe spot, dragging them along behind him as he did so. Once there, their opponents weren't even aware the three had moved due to yet another handicap provided to limit the usefulness of their near-overwhelming attack. While the two performed their eclipse techniques, both were rendered entirely blind - only when the two separated could they regain their vision. With neither none the wiser, the pink puffball readied his blade after detaching it from his helmet as both hamster and owl prepared to strike the sprites as well as soon as they began to move.

As Mr. Shine inched away from his partner, the three struck from underneath the shadow. At the conclusion of their plan's execution were the tormented screams of Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright and the immediate decrease of aridness in the atmosphere. The air around them began to cool, and a sense of calm washed over. The solar and lunar sprites were unharmed physically. Mentally, however, they were quite sore and refused to concede to the fact that they had been bested by a child, even if said child was Kirby, the boy who brought an end to Nightmare.

Their pride simply would not allow it. But rather than challenge the young Star Warrior to another fight, the two brushed off their defeat as the fault of having fallen under the dark spell of the cyclopean being that approached them prior. They haughtily insisted that even with his wide array of abilities, at Kirby's current skill level he could never hope to triumph against them in a serious match. As badly as Rick wanted to retort that the earlier match was indeed serious, Coo quietly advised him against it. He later whispered to his furred friend that perhaps they were in truth scared of the possibility that the young Star Warrior could defeat them and further injure their egos.

Both the hamster and the owl were leaving Red Canyon disappointed - the fantastical tales they had heard of the celestial sprites were in fact riddled with exaggerations. Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright were certainly strong, but more than anything, it seemed to them they were also arrogant jerks.

 **(** _Cloudy World - Yume 2kki_ **)**

Kirby couldn't have cared less about pride - he was simply content that no one had gotten seriously hurt during the scuffle. And with that behind them, he and his friends were then allowed passage to the lower levels of the mountain, including the one chamber located at the lowest levels of the base where the Rainbow Drop was stowed away. They made their way to the secret room without further incident, picking up the nearly forgotten relic and then mapping out their short route to the site where the shattered Rainbow Bridge laid. The puffball raised the stone above his head to restore the colorful structure to its former glory, the fragments reattaching themselves to each other as they gradually became one once more.

As night soon fell on the island, all three agreed they were most certainly **not** staying the night as the yips and howls of a Scarfy pack not too far away rang in their ears. Additionally, even though it had cooled down significantly after the haze had been lifted from Mr. Bright's eyes, Red Canyon was still a baked nightmare of a place to endure. The trio had had their fill of the barren landscapes the island had to offer, so to Cloudy Park they would go.

Kirby led his animal pals across the bridge as it stretched over the ocean and extended into the white mass of clouds that lied above. Cloudy Park was an island that, despite being made almost entirely of clouds, was safe to step foot on. How this was possible had evaded many scholars and curious-minded people alike, but when asked, the people who lived there would only give the rather vague response of 'solidified water vapors'.

Not long after crossing the bridge, they were approached by a Waddle Dee wearing a blue uniform carrying a shoulder bag as the three searched for a place to settle for the night.

"Are Kirby, yes? Rick and Coo?" He pointed to each of them as he spoke - they could only nod feebly in confusion. "Ah, ah! Good, is very good! Thought you were in the past! Here you are!"

The Waddle Dee reached into his bag and handed them an envelope with a bright, cheery expression. He was nearly bouncing as they opened the envelope. It was a letter addressed to them by Iggy's friend, the one who owned the hot air balloon service in Cloudy Park. The Waddle Doo had worked yet another act of kindness behind the scenes, as he convinced the other to allow them to stay at his place while he was at The Wander Inn for the night. The Waddle Dee was a mail carrier for the island and another friend of his - his speech was poor, but he was reliable and would see to it that they reached the balloon man's house.

"Night be good! Let no Scarfy bite!" The Waddle Dee waved to them after they had managed to locate the cloudy cottage, dashing off to who-knows-where with a final shout of, "Now I go bye-bye a go-go!"

"That Iggy is some miracle worker, I'm telling ya." Rick said as he flopped on the couch and made himself comfortable, earning a wary glance from Coo.

"Yes, well, let's be sure that we're on our best behavior while here. We wouldn't want Iggy or his friend to regret their choice in helping us on our journey." The owl warned the two as his eyes fell on a mirror in the hallway as he flew by. He reached up to touch the slightly singed and shorter feathers on his head that formed his crest. "Oh, dear... I wish that hadn't happened."

Kirby toddled around the house, his gaze focused as if searching for something. At first, the two could only assume it was the refrigerator given his nature and large appetite, but he passed it up without a single glance. It was about a full minute afterwards that both realized - he was looking for a phone.

With more searching, they learned that the house did not come equipped with a phone, but Coo was quick to remind them that he could fly back to Dream Land and Cappy Village to keep his friends informed. He had already promised Fumu that he would do so the night before, but just as he was preparing to leave...

 **(** _Deep Trouble - Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea_ **)**

"Uh, Coo? You may not want to do that." Rick frowned, his eyes fixed on something outside the window - a gargantuan mass of nearly pitch black clouds that were plainly visible even in the darkness of nightfall.

"But what about Fumu?" The owl questioned with a downturned beak. "Certainly she'll be worried if I don't hold to my promise. Why I wouldn't be surprised at all if she waited until the sun rose for my arrival under these circumstances..."

"Yeah, I know she'll probably get worried, that's a given, but I don't think she'd stay up _all_ night. She knows better." The hamster tried to reason with him, glaring at the ominous formation of clouds. "And what's out there doesn't look natural - those are storm clouds, but something ain't right about em'. Unknown is probably up to his scheming already here. If you leave now, you might fall right into some trap he's laid out."

"I'm so sorry, Fumu. Kirby..." Coo quietly apologized, hanging his head.

Kirby didn't say anything. He laid an understanding paw on his feathered friend's shoulder, but his blue eyes remained fixed on the blackened mass festering beyond the window.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I have to say, even though there was some lag in the writing progress, after I took some time off to sort out my thoughts, I'm quite happy with how this chapter turned out. Shortly after Kirby and friends arrived on Red Canyon, I wasn't too enthusiastic over writing about how hot everything would be when the temperature outside my house was very similar. I wanted to do something a little different that might throw the readers for a loop, and I hope I succeeded.

Now, for those of you that weren't in the know, I held a poll over this chapter. I gave three paths of option over what would become of Kine in this chapter - Option One was that Kine stay behind and Kirby, Rick and Coo go on ahead without him, Option Two was that he went along with Kirby and suffered the whole way through as it became a race against time, and Option Three was the same as Option One, but Iggy would come along as a temporary third party member. It was a close match against Option Three, but Option One ended up winning by about two votes. However, I've decided that since Iggy didn't get to shine again in this chapter alongside the heroes and because there wasn't really a good place to put it, I'm going to reveal Iggy's backstory.

Several years ago before Kirby ever landed on Pop Star, Iggy was on a large boat traveling from a land far away. One night when the boat was passing through the Rainbow Island's waters, he decided he would take a nap on the deck's hammock. The ship went through some rough waters and accidentally tossed him overboard. Nobody saw him fall off the boat, so no one knew he was missing until it was too late. He spent some time adrift before eventually waking up on Iceberg's shores. With no way to communicate with anyone he knew, Iggy learned to survive in this environment and eventually built himself a house. As time passed, he came across others who were in need of help when on the island so he added onto his home to create a safe and warm haven for travelers - The Wander Inn. What was Iggy doing on that boat? He was on his way to a job interview as a certain king was in need of a translator for an army of Waddle Dees. Since Iggy had gone AWOL, his brother Ivan, now known as Captain Waddle Doo decided to take his place for the task since no one else would apply for the position.

And yes, the name Ivan was meant to be a pun.

Next in line, a character that is central to the plot yet not truly encountered until the end of the game has made another appearance! The entire conversation between Unknown and Kirby is one where, despite how serious it is within context, I can't help but laugh as I read over it. Maybe it's because I keep imagining Unknown speaking in a tired deadpan tone throughout the scene or the fact that they're having a leisurely afternoon chat with an eldritch abomination. But maybe it's also how Unknown also shows sparks of an attitude throughout the whole encounter. I wanted to add more substance to this arc's antagonist, and I hope I succeeded while also keeping him vague. Something that might interest you - I actually DO have a real name for him besides Unknown, but I'll wait until the last chapter of this arc to reveal it. I ended up naming my Gengar after him, and I really think it's a nice fitting name for our shadowy cyclops.

So, Gooey didn't actually get that much focus in this chapter, and I have to apologize for that! The whole Dream Land sequences kind of wrote themselves to be honest, but at least he's there and he pitches in from time to time. But Gooey's going to have a lot more spotlight in next chapter's Cappy Village portion, and do you know why? Oh, I think you do.

As an added fun fact, as soon as I got over my writer's funk, I actually managed to write almost 3/4ths of this chapter in less than a week. So yeah, just about all this chapter was done in a week. But please don't get your hopes up and apply this to the probability rates towards future updates. Quality over quantity and speed is what I go by when writing stories, and I think that's why After Story feels so much more alive to me than the old BETA version. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry for the delay!


	11. Cloudy Park

Chapter 11 - Cloudy Park

As Kirby began to stir awake, he heard a gruff and unfamiliar voice.

 **(** _Officer Nanu's Theme - Pokémon Sun and Moon_ **)**

"Ey. Ey, come on, buddy. I wanna get this over with so I can go home. Come on, pal."

The pink puffball squinted as the sunlight flittering in from the window filled his eyes. When his vision cleared, he was looking directly at a purple-skinned Waddle Doo wearing an aviator's hat leaning over him with a bored expression.

"Listen to me. It's eight in the morning. Go scrape up your friends and get going."

The Waddle Doo jerked a paw towards Rick and Coo, the hamster sprawled out on the carpet and the owl seeming none too well rested. Kirby could only assume by his attire and the fact that he was here that this stranger was Iggy's friend that ran the hot air balloon service. He had expected him to be more jolly in person, but the pilot's face gave off the impression that even the largest cup of coffee in the universe wouldn't be enough to perk him up.

"At least, that's what I'd say if Iggy hadn't been so insistent that I feed you lot first before kickin' ya out. I swear that Doo is too nice for his own good sometimes. So get up off your hides and mosey on into the dining room. I ain't got all day to be waitin' around on ya."

" _Well_ , he certainly is a cheerful fellow..." Coo remarked as their gracious host disappeared into the next room, the two long black hairs that peeked out from under his hat and hung down in his face bouncing halfheartedly with each step he took, almost as if they too lacked energy.

"He yanked one of the couch cushions out from under me," Rick grumbled as he stood up and rubbed his sore back aching from the force of his impact against the floor. "Hey, _pal_. You said you wanted to go home just now; isn't this supposed to be _your_ house?"

"Yeah, it is, but home don't feel like home unless I'm feelin' comfy. And right now I'm not feelin' too comfy with strangers runnin' around in my house." He called from the kitchen. "Hope ya like pancakes 'n toast, 'cause that's about all I got at the moment. Didn't know 'till now I'd need to go shoppin' so soon. Food'll be ready in a minute, so sit tight until then."

The three awkwardly trundled into the next room as instructed of them, taking a glance out the window as they passed it to find that the mass of dark clouds surrounding the outside of the cottage last night had disappeared. They had worried over how Kine and the balloon man would fare travelling through the ominous blackened fog, but both of them had made it here without harm it seemed. Their fishy friend was safe and sound, still in the washtub Iggy had thoughtfully lent to him which was resting on an elegantly carved chair in front of the equally grand dining room table.

Kine was chattering and chattering away to the busily cooking Waddle Doo, but whether he was paying him any attention was anyone's guess. He quickly spotted his friends as they made their way to join him at the table and gave a whoop of joy, immediately shifting his prattling onto them with joyful tears in his eyes.

"Oh my gosh, it's you guys! Long time no see, huh? It feels like forever since I saw all of you! I know it's really only been a day, but it really did feel a lot longer than that! What all did I miss in Red Canyon? Oh, you won't believe what happened to us on the way here! There was this awful group of storm clouds that we ran into on the way here, and it was almost like they were after us specifically! I know that probably sounds silly, right? But the entire time I couldn't help but feel like we were being watched, like when we were in that cavern on Iceberg and I went all crazy for a minute there..."

"Well, Kine, we have a story about our adventure yesterday that'll probably beat yours by a mile." Rick almost stammered as he gripped the edges of his seat to steel himself, already knowing full well that the patch of bad weather Kine and the balloon man had been forced to fly through was no ill-timed coincidence. Rick had been brave in the face of danger then, but recalling everything that happened the day before in the present didn't fail to send shivers down his spine. "A little bit after we stepped on Red Canyon, we-"

Before he could even begin his tale, the hamster was then interrupted by the sound of their host's footsteps and the light clatter of dishes, his rather chilling darkened red-eyed glare effectively silencing him. The Waddle Doo carried a few platters at a time, beginning to set the table as he placed each plate over the pristine white cloth in a neat, orderly fashion and with apparent care. Five dainty cups with intricate designs etched into the delicate porcelain resting atop matching saucers were placed on the table along with a sugar bowl and a pitcher of cream to nearly complete the rather cutely crafted tea set, the pot itself following not long after to fill their cups.

 _Honey vanilla chamomile_ \- Kirby inwardly noted, instantly recognizing the aroma of one of Fumu's favorite teas. It made him long for home and miss her all the more.

Their host rummaged through the pantry and returned with an armful of jars, each one filled with a different flavor of jam. He then formed a diagonal row with them that stretched all the way down to the end of the table, almost as if it were a military line-up. This was a man who clearly valued the old saying that breakfast was the most important meal of the day - even the positioning of the silverware was perfectly in check with the table's arrangement and decorum.

"Sit down and quit your gawkin', ya pack a loafers. I didn't slave over a hot stove for you all to just stand there, mouths agape, so ya could eat flies for breakfast." He barked, prompting Kirby and friends to immediately begin shoveling forkfuls of pancakes and bites of toast into their mouths or otherwise risk enhancing his already foul mood.

"Do ya need somebody to feed ya?" The Waddle Doo questioned, eyeballing Kine.

"No, no. That's not necessary. I can actually pick things up with my fins; it's just usually hard to because most stuff on land is out of my reach. Everything here is fine, though, but thank you for asking."

"Good." Came his curt reply as he too sat down and began eating, whipping out a copy of the morning newspaper.

It was perhaps the most awkward meal any of them had ever attended.

The food their host had made was pretty as a picture and just as delicious, if a bit too sweet, but Kirby and friends had never felt so uncomfortable sitting at anyone's table before. It was too quiet, and nobody was certain if the Waddle Doo would be further irritated with them if they began talking to him or amongst each other. Rick elected himself to be the first brave soul to test his patience.

"So, uh, you never exactly told us your name." He said quickly, realizing too late that his nervousness was entirely too audible. If the balloon man noticed anything, he gave no indication of it.

"The name's Alphonse, but you can call me Al. Everyone does, whether I want 'em to or not."

He had responded without even looking up from his paper, his tone as dry as ever.

"Ah, Mr. Al or Alphonse..." Coo tripped over his words, no less skittish than his furred friend seated next to him. Alphonse slowly lowered his paper and glowered at him; the owl felt as though he were ready to crack under the pressure of being subjected to his heavy and piercing half-lidded gaze. "Exactly what do you do with your time?"

"I'm the balloon man of Cloudy Park. Thought you knew that." He took a long sip of his tea before abruptly continuing. "I served in the military on planet Skyhigh before movin' here. Came to Cloudy Park and settled 'cause it felt like home."

Another awkward stretch of silence passed, save for the soft clinking of silverware, the sipping of tea, and the signature crunch toast made when it was bitten into.

"Sooooo..." Kine drew out the word, his mouth moving on its own accord before he had time to stop himself; now he desperately tried to wrack his brain for something scintillating to say. Thankfully, he didn't have to think too long for what he thought was a clever and witty question to come to him. "How do you and Iggy know each other?"

 **(** _Poem Panic! - Doki Doki Literature Club!_ **)**

"Iggy and me? We go way back." Without warning, as if the fish had accidentally flicked some switch deep within the subconscious of his mind, Alphonse then became extraordinarily chatty. "My little sister Winona is one of the Dees that works in that inn of his, and that mail Dee you met last evening who can barely speak the Gamble Galaxy's common language is her twin brother, Wallace. That's why he's got my house key. She went out there lookin' for work, but some time later ol' Iggy fell for her charms hard and became smitten. Oh, but he don't act on that crush of his - says it's 'unprofessional'. It ain't like it's a one-way street either - she likes him the same way, but sis don't think she's anywhere near good enough for him. So here me and my little bro Wally have been sittin' here waitin' for years now for sparks to start flyin' between those two with there being no sign a that happenin'."

"Wow, uh, that…sounds pretty rough, actually?" Rick stared down at his cup, not at all expecting such a verbosely impassioned response from him.

"Oh, you got no idea. It's like findin' one o' them fanfics of your favorite couple, and ya read into it a bit more and ya see it's somewhere around one-hundred chapters long or somethin' and each ones about...eh, seventeen or eighteen-thousand words on average. Yeah, let's go with that. Ya think you've found yourself a little slice a heaven, but then when you've already dug yourself in too deep ya learn the hard way that it's _a slow burn fic_. And those two, they just. _Won't_. **Talk to each other**. **_About their feelins_**. Then ya finally get to the end, and ya find out this emotional rollercoaster ride still ain't over yet! It just goes on an' on with no satisfyin' romantic resolution in sight!"

"We…have _no idea_ what you're talking about." The hamster expressed, somehow feeling as though what the Waddle Doo had said was something forbidden - something that was not meant to be spoken aloud.

Kine, however, was never one to pick up on the type of awkwardness found in these sort of situations and immediately dived into the conversation in his lovable but often frustrating way.

"Oh, that explains why Iggy was doing that thing with his eye yesterday around Winona!" He excitedly exclaimed, awestruck as the figurative light bulb over his head suddenly burst aglow. "While he was talking to her during their break, he he kept opening and shutting his eye! He must have been flirting; I just know he was!"

"Kine, I'm pretty sure that's called _blinking_." Rick rebutted, feeling as though it was possible Kine was reading too deeply into the situation after listening to Alphonse's romance-related ramblings, but for all he knew, flirting with the eye could have been exactly what the cyclopean innkeeper had been doing. "But you probably wouldn't know that, though, being a fish and all?"

"And what's wrong with being a fish?" He innocently inquired, tilting his body to the side curiously.

"Nothing, it's just that since you're a fish, you don't have any eyeli- Oh, never mind. It's not really that important."

"I'm uncertain of your stance on the matter, but I never would have suspected that Mr. Alphonse would be an enthusiast of romantic literature. You truly can't judge a book by its cover!" Coo voiced his thoughts aloud in a whisper, feigning interest in reaching for one of the many jars of jam as an excuse to discreetly lean closer towards his companions. "Although, my mind can't help but wonder; what is this 'fanfic' he spoke of?"

"Like I said - it's probably not that important." Rick hissed between his teeth with a hint of desperation for the subject to be dropped altogether, as he still felt the word had an aura of taboo floating around it - almost as if the very fabric that tied their universe together would become unraveled like a ball of yarn should they delve too deeply into the details.

"...Poyo?" Kirby wasn't exactly sure what it was that had his hamster friend so unnerved - could it be he simply didn't like speaking of the topic of romance, and inwardly felt bitter about being single? Or was there truly something dangerous lying in wait within that supposedly innocent word? Perhaps he should ask Fumu about it when he returned to Dream Land, but if the mere utterance of that word could bring out such a pale-faced reaction from the normally mellow Rick then maybe it was best for Kirby to pretend he never heard anything.

 **(** _Homely Yado Inn - MOTHER 3_ **)**

Later on, after the uneasy tension between Kirby's squad and Alphonse had mostly dissipated, they then had the opportunity to explain to Kine what had happened while they were separated. He was shocked, needless to say, that the foe they were steadily pursuing had approached them and spoke with them so casually as if everything that had led up to that point had been nothing more than a misunderstanding between all parties. The young Star Warrior wished with all his might that could have been the case, but to believe so would have been delusional daydreaming on his part.

"Eh, I figured that storm that blew through couldn't have been no run-of-the-mill one." The Waddle Doo said, turning to Coo. "You were right to have stayed put here - if you had gone out there, Kracko would've turned you a tender golden brown with his strikes a lightnin' no doubt."

"Kracko?" Kirby frowned; the name sounded familiar - it was one of the first demon beasts he had faced after arriving in Dream Land but was it possible that this Kracko was a similar case as the peaceful and reclusive Ice Dragon residing in Iceberg? He didn't have long to question the thought, as Alphonse promptly filled in the rest of the information for him.

"Kracko is a creature made of the same stuff the clouds here are made of, but with some electricity and some other fun stuff thrown in. There're actually a bunch of em' runnin' around in the wild blue yonder, but they're all called Kracko. You surface dwellers have somethin' similar - I'm pretty sure there're a bunch of those talking trees spread around down there with the same name. Anyways, Kracko are capricious. They do whatever they want. There are good ones and bad ones out there, but mostly, despite bein' pretty testy at times, Cloudy Park's was mostly just mischievous. Not any more. Nope. He's flyin' around recklessly, whippin' up nasty storms, and zappin' anyone he feels like. ...And it sounds to me like, from what I've heard so far, that this's got somethin' to do with you lot."

"I apologize on behalf of everyone for any inconveniences this incident may have brought you or anyone else who resides here in Cloudy Park." The owl bowed his head, thoroughly ashamed. "There was an opportunity to end this fiasco once and for all, and yet...we squandered it by listening to Unknown's foolish maunderings."

"Ey, don't be sayin' sorry to me. The best thing you can do to make things right is to track that Unknown person down to the ends of the world and do what needs to be done. I learned in the military that sometimes that's all you really can do - if ya still feel like ya need to, make more proper amends with everyone when the situation's all over and done with." Alphonse shrugged, but then he leaned forward on his elbows towards Kirby and said in a low whisper, "Although, somethin' else I learned then was, you also can't ever be sure if what you're doin' is the right thing."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Rick queried defensively, not at all liking what the veteran may have been suggesting. "I know Dedede is a jerk of a king and he's had some form of karma coming to him for a long time, but this is too much! Not only that, but just look at all the chaos Unknown has caused for little better a reason than 'just because I can'. Unknown is **evil** , and at this point there's nothing that can convince me otherwise. Kirby will be doing everybody a favor by taking him out."

"Oi, there's no need for ya to spit all over my face," Alphonse recoiled, retrieving a clean white handkerchief from the bag around his waist - on closer inspection, they could see there were little purple roses embroidered on the corners of the fabric. "Just thought I'd give the little hero some advice. Ya know, from one Star Warrior to another."

 **(** _It Began With A Letter - Kingdom Hearts I_ **)**

Everyone openly gaped.

Kirby had thought he felt something odd when he first locked eyes with him, a light jolt had run through his system, but considering how groggy he had been upon awakening he had dismissed it just as quickly as it came.

"Y-You're a Star Warrior?" Rick and Coo nearly trembled.

"Retired, but yup." He confirmed as if it were nothing to be surprised over.

"Th-Then...why are you just _waiting_ around here?" The hamster sputtered, utterly flabbergasted. "The Rainbow Islands are going through complete mayhem right now, and you're just going to eat pancakes and sip on some tea while all this is happening? What kind of Star Warrior **_are_** you?!"

"Ey, I just said I'm _retired_." He growled, rising up from his chair so swiftly it tumbled over. He then placed a hand to his temple and took a deep breath to calm himself. "Star Warriors can't just quit 'cause they feel like it - I'm retired 'cause I **can't** fight anymore. It ain't nothin' physical that's wrong with me, it's all mental. Doctors that examined me said I shouldn't be doin' it anymore; that the strain continuin' with my duties might put on me - it'd wreck me eventually. 'Course, if it ain't a physical injury, you got less an excuse to quit in the eyes of the public. That's why I had to move here, for R &R in a place where nobody knew me after fightin' so hard and for so long. I'd help out if I could, believe me I would."

"...I'm so sorry. We weren't aware." Coo timidly spoke up as Rick ashamedly rubbed the back of his neck without a word. Kine was getting choked up and emotional as his eyes began to wet, and Kirby felt as though a hidden truth about Star Warriors had been exposed to him that he wasn't ready for.

Alphonse sighed, his tone much softer.

"I did my duty back during the war against Nightmare. I fought demon beasts, I made and lost some friends, and now I'm ready to settle down. War ain't no game. It's **terrifyin'** , and I wanna put all that behind me. I wanna experience the slow and simple side of life, where I'm free to fall in love with a lovely lady just like in all those romance stories I've read. To love without always, **always** bein' afraid of losin' that love. Of havin' it ripped away. Love 'n war just can't mix, kid. Not without heartache."

There was a heavy silence after Alphonse finished speaking which was eventually broken by Kine clapping his fins together and blubbering motivational phrases to him all the while. Alphonse let out a puff of air, embarrassed, but he set his chair back to its original position, walked over to Kirby and knelt in front of him, his voice low but soothing.

"It ain't fair that a kid your age is responsible for a whole potluck of people's safety. Ya never asked for any of this. Ya got friends, yeah, but that don't make it no less scary sometimes. I just wanna say, I don't know ya all that well, but 'm proud that ya made it this far. And...if ya really do end up needin' help out there, I'll come runnin' as fast as I can. I'm already messed up, but it'd mess me up even more if a kid, no matter how strong or talented he is, got hurt in the line a duty."

Kirby could only manage a small wordless nod, his head still swimming in uncertainty.

"...I'm sorry if anything we have carelessly said has caused any unpleasant memories to surface." The owl ruffled his feathers continuously as he spoke out of nerves.

"Ey, ya got nothin' to be apologizin' for - ya didn't know. None of ya did." He shrugged again, proving he was more easygoing than they first thought.

"I'm sorry for acting out like that. I said some things to you that were pretty darn rude, but..." Rick held his breath, hesitating for only a moment before continuing. "What else do you know about your kind? Star Warriors, I mean. Is there anything that Kirby might need to know?"

"Most of it ain't nothin' he don't already know." He replied dubiously, setting his gaze on the pink puffball for a second as his tone dipped into a soft mutter. "The rest won't be any problem of his, hopefully. He's got this far with no trouble. No point in gettin' him all worried now over somethin' that might not even happen."

"What does all that mean? You're not making any sense."

"Like I said - it's probably not that important." He gave a husky chuckle, sauntering over towards the door and kicking it open. "Now get outta here, you lot. You've got some islands to save. And if things get too tough, I'll let ya come crawlin' back here. I ain't made of stone."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Alphonse. Breakfast with you has been...an experience." Coo thanked him earnestly, though the owl was torn between still feeling guilty for possibly giving their host emotional discomfort and being curious over what sort of additional knowledge the man may hold.

"I hope that don't mean my cookin' was bad."

"No, the food was delightful. Simple in layout, but delightful in taste." The owl clarified, and the Waddle Doo's posture seemed to ease further, his upper eyelid drawing up to create a grin-like expression on his face.

"That's what I like to hear. Now get on outta here already! And Kine? Good luck with the girlfriend. 'M happy for you two. Invite me to the weddin', okay?" He gestured the four to the exit, pointing them towards the fluffy white landscape that lied beyond. Kirby was the last one out the door. "Kiddo, you've got a long road ahead of you. Take pride in the fact that once this whole mess is over with you've got a nice home to go back to. Don't be in too big a hurry to grow up either - have fun bein' a kid. If one thing I've said ever ends up stickin' out in your memory, let it be this."

The balloon man affectionately rubbed the top of Kirby's head then sent the younger Star Warrior off with a light slap on the back.

* * *

 **(** _World 6: Cloudy Park - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Cloudy Park, a picturesque island befitting of a storybook floating high in the skies above Dream Land, its landscape formed entirely of multi-colored clouds, and the peaks of mountains that reached up from the surface world below. Often was it advertised in travel brochures as a happy, breezy paradise and real estate agents praised it as an ideal place to live if one valued peace. However, the carefree lives of the citizens of the clouds had been turned upside down overnight - Kracko was on the loose.

On their way to the mountainous region, Kirby and friends discovered that any and all clinics they came across in the towns had lines in front that stretched out into the streets, composed entirely of victims of the cloudy creature's high voltage attacks. Fortunately, no one had been critically injured or worse from Kracko's rampages, but seeing so many people crowding around and being wheeled into hospitals was still a rather shocking sight to the four.

"Unknown must be stepping up his game." Rick shook his head. "This is way worse than anything else that was going on with the rest of the islands. I thought that Nruff's case was bad at the time, but _this_? Stars..."

"Kine, you seem a tad nervous." Coo pointed out, turning to the fish who was hopping about a bit more skittishly than he had been. "Oh dear, could it be witnessing the aftereffects of Kracko's raid on Cloudy Park is causing you to relive the trauma of being abducted by Master Green? I imagine the fear of being electrocuted again still runs deep."

"No, that's not it. Well, since you've mentioned it, yeah, now I am a bit scared of that." He babbled, his eyes darting in every direction. "But no, that wasn't what I was thinking of. You guys said when Unknown talked to you yesterday, before he disappeared he said he'd be seeing you again on the next island, Cloudy Park. And, well, we're on Cloudy Park. Right now. At this very moment in time currently. ...Can somebody please tell me I'm not the only one here internally freaking out about that?!"

"Kine, you need to chill a little." Rick groaned, wiping the spit that had flown all over him during his aquatic friend's frenzied outburst. "Yeah, we know what Unknown said, and yeah, we know we're on Cloudy Park right now at this moment in time currently. But you also seem to be forgetting that we have what we need to beat him right in our hands. Rainbow Sword or not, the Rainbow Drops themselves should be enough to turn him into a puddle of black goo. The sword, if it does exist, will probably just be a cool bonus we can show off after this crazy adventure is over. So, once he finally gets gutsy enough to show himself, I say we throw it to him."

"Is that so?" A bone chilling voice whispered in his ear.

 **(** _Imitation - Nisemonogatari_ **)**

Rick gave a startled cry as all four collectively turned around, finding the shadowy cyclops's tall frame towering over them. Instantly the air cooled, and the clouds surrounding them, including the ones Kirby and friends were standing on, gradually began to darken. Taking action, the hamster reached for and retrieved the Rainbow Drops he had kept stashed away in the thick pockets of his fur and brandished them against Unknown as threateningly as possible. He mustered every ounce of his courage and stepped forward with the colorful shining stones, throwing his fists haphazardly at the malevolent shadow with them in hand.

"It's impolite to discuss assassination strategies in front of your intended target, not to mention counter-efficient." He replied casually, reflexively dodging each swipe of Rick's paws, staying just outside his realm of reach with every strike as he twisted and turned, almost as if he were performing an elaborate ballroom dance while tauntingly remaining within range of attack. "Ah, it seems you have another with you today who wasn't accompanying you yesterday. He almost escaped my notice. Greetings, aquatic undersea life form."

"Hi there, yourself! My name is Kine!" The fish happily returned his greeting with a cheerful wave of his fin, realizing a moment too late and having to mentally remind himself that this was the same villain they had been tirelessly pursuing up until now. The spectating owl sent him an unamused and disturbed glance, causing Kine to laugh sheepishly. "Sorry, for a moment there I forgot he's supposed to be the bad guy here."

Coo buried his face in his wing at that, sighing with resignation before calling out to his other companion, "Rick, please cease your efforts; you're only going to burn yourself out,"

"Hah...hah...you sure have gotten a lot braver since the last time we whipped these out in your line of sight." The hamster panted, winded and out of breath. "What's with the increase in ego? Don't tell me you've thought it over and decided to surrender now - that'd make things too easy for us, wouldn't it?"

"You are correct - I have no intentions of relinquishing myself or His Majesty to you, not after the both of us have come so far." Unknown promptly answered, floating ever closer to him, daringly so, only to maneuver himself out of danger's grasp once again when the hamster suddenly found his second wind and thrust his arm out in his direction. Seemingly having grown tired of Rick's antics, the phantom then set his attentions solely on Kirby. "Ah, it's been too long, far too long, star child - you kept me waiting. I was beginning to wonder if the cloud creature had gotten to you already. How fortunate it is that wasn't the case. After all, the sixth Rainbow Drop you seek is so close."

Kirby squeaked as he drew near, his blue eyes darting towards the magic stones in his hamster buddy's grasp. He felt uncomfortable, exceedingly, excruciatingly so, as aside from teleporting him to the Rainbow Islands in the first place, Unknown had shown him nothing but politeness and respect. It was so contrasting from the actions he had already performed out of their sight and the behavior he had exhibited in Castle Dedede's courtyard, the young puffball was almost convinced into believing the series of events that led up to this point had been a series of horrible misunderstandings.

"I hate it when he starts playing the nice card - it's all just one twisted mind game." The hamster growled under his breath, snapping Kirby out of his inner turmoil and resulting in Coo urging him to shush.

"Unknown, for one so concerned with proper etiquette and what could be considered counter-effectiveness, you really don't adhere to your own advice." The purple avian spoke up, ruffling his feathers as he did so. "Have you so easily forgotten, as Rick previously stated before you so rudely interjected yourself into our conversation, that we have the means to terminate your existence on hand? You clearly acknowledged this fact yesterday, as you kept a safe distance from us and consequently the Rainbow Drops throughout the duration of your stay. You have been injured by their radiant light beforehand, so please, do tell us; where has this sudden spark of bravery manifested from?"

"Hmm, you would like to know that, wouldn't you?" Unknown leisurely circled him, responding to his inquiry with mild interest when based on their previous encounter, he should have dismissed him entirely. "But what enjoyment could there be in merely explaining myself? I have found that a live demonstration is far more effective in capturing the audience's attentions - show, don't tell, as they often say. Of course, some exposition on my part will still be in order, as I'm fairly certain some of the more intricate details will sail over your heads."

"Did he...just call us dimwits in a really polite but convoluted way?" Rick muttered questioningly to his companions with narrowed eyes, never allowing his sights to stray from the shadow wraith for too long. "And I'm kind of getting that skin-crawling vibe from some of what he's saying like I did earlier when Al was prattling on about those weird stories of his..."

"Really? I don't feel a thing at all." Kine responded, far calmer than he was previously, probably more so than he reasonably should have been in this situation. "Why don't we hear him out and see what he has to say? I think if he were going to try and hurt us, he would have when he was creeping up from behind. He really is putting himself at a disadvantage here just so he can talk with us."

"Kine, mere minutes ago you were quivering in fright at the prospect of meeting him..." Coo gently reminded as he raised a feathery brow. After a short period of silence, he groaned quietly, shaking his head then shifting his focus back onto the patiently standing by specter. "Alright, we're listening. You have our full attention. No need to keep us dangling in expense for any longer."

"Thank you ever so much for your cooperation." He responded with a hint of snide, inclining himself forward in a mock bow before swiftly turning towards Rick's direction. "Furred land creature, give the star child a colored stone. Merely one will suffice."

"Nope, not falling for it. I'm handing over all of 'em." He snapped, thrusting the five Rainbow Drops into Kirby's arms. "Bossy, bossy, bossy..."

"See, this is why I like you least of all, and why I often elect to ignore your presence." Unknown quipped, his single eye narrowing just faintly in return. "Now, star child, if you would, please place but one of them into my palm. I assure you, one stone shall be more than sufficient for my demonstration to take its full effect."

 **(** _Logic and Trick - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney_ **)**

"Don't do it, Kirbs. **Don't**." Rick warned, followed almost immediately by Coo's counseling, "It may be possible that the combined strength of multiple Rainbow Drops is needed in order to inflict any substantial damage upon him. Do not heed his instructions. If you feel you absolutely must comply with his request, then three to the near full collection of five should be used in this so-called demonstration."

The puffball felt his stomach churn as his focus shifted from Rick and Coo's disapproving stares to Unknown's extended palm. His mind was in complete disarray. Utter chaos was unfolding deep within his head. He made the mistake of glancing upwards at the robed phantom and accidentally met his gaze, his single eye's iris bathed in a gray hue, scrutinizing him to the last detail, focused entirely on him and him alone. Kirby swiftly turned away and his eyes then fell on Kine, who, when noticing the nearly pained expression on the young Star Warrior's face, offered him an understanding and encouraging smile.

 _"What do you want to do?"_ The fish thought reflectively. _"That's what you said to me when I was swimming in a sea of confusion, completely lost on what to do. You believed in me at the time, so the least I can do is show you the same courtesy. I trust you; with my life, even. Do whatever you think needs to be done, Kirby."_

Kirby sent a brief nod Kine's way, having understood the fish's feelings he wanted to convey without the need for words. He looked up at Unknown to meet his gaze again, the ghoulish cyclops even-tempered as ever, then plucked one of the Rainbow Drops cradled in his arm's hold and gingerly placed it in his waiting open palm.

" ** _KIRBY!_** " Rick and Coo shrieked in shock and alarm at observing the puffball blatantly disobeying them.

The stone in Unknown's palm didn't react, not even causing the slightest fizzle upon making contact with his shadowy skin. It almost appeared to the young Star Warrior that the phantom's single eye had flashed from its unnervingly calm gray to a violent red, but if so, it only occurred for a fraction of a second, and Kirby couldn't be sure if it actually did happen. Letting out a gasp of disbelief and responding quickly in order to correct what he perceived as a mistake on his part, the young Star Warrior then forced the remaining four into his hand. Almost half a minute passed, and much to everyone's further horror, the five Rainbow Drops did nothing when he should have been a wailing melting mass by then. Just when the child thought nothing else could throw him more off guard than he already was, Unknown then presented the five DreamLandian relics to him for Kirby to take back when he and everyone else present had assumed the phantom meant to either keep them for his own or immediately dispose of them.

"...How?" Coo gaped, words failing him and rendered near speechless. "How can this be possible...?"

 **(** _like a radio - Soul Eater_ **)**

"Hee hee hee... **Hee hee hee hee...** " The specter tittered, his armored shoulders shaking lightly with his ominous fluttering of laughter. "Ah, your expressions are hysterical. I had to endure quite a hefty dealing of verbal abuse, particularly from the furred land creature, but the payoff was more than worth it - yes, simply priceless. I never knew I was capable of experiencing such a feeling until this present point in time. Thank you for that. Ah, but enough reveling in my own newfound amusement. I gave my word I would elucidate the circumstances behind my increase in confidence, did I not?"

Not giving any of them the opportunity to interrupt, he promptly continued. "I acquainted myself with your humble country's folklore recently. Oh indeed, I have deduced your plan, star child, and I must commend you, it was a clever one - the reforming of the legendary sword was a seemingly infallible countermeasure. However, you of all present, star child, should be informed on and familiar with weapons of lore. Throughout this vast galaxy there exists a unique type of weaponry where all members of its class have grown so formidable in strength, they gained a conscience. I seem to recall the knight who lives in the king's castle possesses one such weapon. Am I correct, star child?"

Kirby didn't dare answer him, even non-verbally. Unknown had said so before that prior to his abduction of King Dedede, he had silently stalked the country and the castle's premises, including the people who lived there. Though he knew his mentor should be able to carry himself in battle just fine, the mere thought of him having unknowingly been in such close proximity with the shadow wraith made the boy shudder.

"The sword you wish to reassemble is also among their rank, but that in itself is the fatal flaw of your plan. According to local legend, the blade vanquishes any and all doers of evil. The stones you obtained are indeed fragments of that fabled sword, and they did respond accordingly, but now they have grown unsure. They are uncertain whether or not to strike me, and therefore, do not. If there is even the slightest chance of them being incorrect in their judgment, they will choose to remain inactive. Ah, that wasn't quite show, don't tell. It was more akin to show _and_ tell. But I digress. ...You may now chime in with any comments you may have if you so wish. Personally, I would not object if among you the furred land creature elected to remain silent."

"...Do you mean to tell me that the Rainbow Drops can't tell if you're bad news or not anymore?" Rick hissed, feeling betrayed by the very relics they had been steadily rescuing from several more centuries of the darkness present inside those desolate and nearly forgotten chambers. At this sudden and unwanted reveal, he almost wished the sword's fragments had been left untouched if they were only going to rebel on their rescuers now during their time of need.

"That is precisely the point I'm attempting to get across. Your strategy has been deconstructed. It's fallen apart at the seams. However, if you still insist on reforming the legendary sword and defeating me, I may give you a sporting chance, star child, and stand perfectly still when you do finally complete its assembly, allowing you to repeatedly whack me with it until you are satisfied. Do keep in mind though, my host will most likely not take kindly to that. My host would take on the majority of any pain dealt in my place, even if the pain, which in this case does have a relatively high probability of being miniscule at most, comes in the form of being struck relentlessly with a frustratingly useless and easily indecisive sword, and I do believe in treating my hosts with the utmost care."

"Oh, so you've gotta drag Dedede into it? You won't let Kirby smack you with it as you are now?" The hamster asked sarcastically, not actually expecting an answer from him.

"Absolutely not, because I happen to know exactly what you would do with it if given the opportunity - you would poke me in the eye."

"I... _cannot_ deny that I _would_ encourage him to do that."

"That's enough of that." Coo cleared his throat, having apparently regained his wits. "Unknown, you've proven your point. The Rainbow Drops no longer work against you, meaning the Rainbow Sword is also likely to have little to no effect. However, if this entire escapade was meant to dissuade us from continuing our pursuit of you, then you are sorely mistaken. You've caused too much damage to the Rainbow Islands and Dream Land as a whole to allow you to run freely as you please, even if we are now at an extreme disadvantage. I must commend you, it was a clever one - it was a seemingly infallible countermeasure, or so you thought, but your strategy has been deconstructed. It's fallen apart at the seams."

"You certainly think you're clever, don't you, feathered aerial organism?" He responded stoically and without a beat. "I believe I recall hearing from somewhere that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Do you think my choices in words are brilliant enough to be worthy of your reuse? Clearly, you must think so. The true question is whether or not I find myself flattered by your sentiment."

"I must admit...you are quite adept at exchanging witty remarks." The owl said with a slight blush of embarrassment, shamefaced at having his what he had thought to have been clever assertions so easily turned back at him - the black being hadn't hesitated in the slightest to verbally repay him in kind, proving his tongue could be just as sharp as Coo's own.

"Why thank you. Well, I've overstayed my welcome. I currently hunger, I have become quite tired, and I am in much need of rest." Unknown announced as though the reason he had come in the first place was to meet them for brunch. He then yawned, holding up a spindly-fingered hand out of what must have been his consideration for politeness, but not soon enough for Kirby and friends to miss the seemingly blank space of skin below his visor tearing open to form and reveal an impossibly wide, indescribably horrendous gaping maw. "Pardon me, that was rude. So, I suppose I'll be seeing you again on the next and last island, Dark Castle? Yes, I must say its stony walls and high outlook have most definitely grown on me. I feel quite at home there, and I'm certain that, in time, your king will grow to feel the same. Farewell."

Long after the darkness had lifted from the clouds and the surrounding air had significantly warmed, Kirby and friends were still at a loss on what to do or even say. Every ounce of confidence they had gained in the fact that they could triumph over the enemy had just been disintegrated right before their very eyes. Thankfully after enough minutes of silent agony, someone spoke out to relieve the suffocating tension around them.

"Wooooah, Coo...!" Kine's mouth fell ajar, his eyes widening in marvel. "I can't believe you back sassed Unknown, and with his own words! That was as cold as the ice on Iceberg and burned more than a sunburn from Red Canyon! I'm sure glad I wasn't on the receiving end of that!"

 **(** _Pyrite Building - Pokémon Colosseum_ **)**

"But what good did it amount to in the end?" The owl spoke sadly, heaving a heavy sigh. "I was furious at the time - I thought that if it wasn't possible to injure his body, then perhaps I could at the very least injure his ego. However, that obviously backfired. I cannot deny that what Unknown has said is true - our plan of action has been rendered null and void. I don't know what could have swayed their judgment to be in his favor, but without the Rainbow Drops aiding us, I'm afraid there is little we can do when the time comes to combat Unknown."

"After working so hard to find them, after us doing all of this just to help people and do the right thing...and then they turn on us like this!" Rick growled through gritted teeth, suddenly snatching the stones from Kirby's grasp and lifting his arm with them in hand to hurl them over the edge of Cloudy Park and into the ocean that lied several miles below. "Where's the point in even trying to find the rest if this is what they're really like? Why even help a sword that's alive if it's gonna ignore the people who are scared and in pain looking to it for protection, but it won't fight the one responsible for it all! What's the point?!"

" ** _Rick, no!_** " Coo screamed in alarm, he and the others rushing forward to grab their angered friend by the fur and pull him backwards and away from the cliff. "I know how you must feel, believe me I do! You must feel confused and betrayed, but what will throwing them away do? Nothing. As tentative as they are, they may still be of some future use to us. If you toss them now, that slim window of opportunity may be slammed shut forever."

"Maybe the answer we're looking for really isn't that hard to find." Kine's voice rang, ever the optimist. "Unknown somehow knew what the Rainbow Sword's personality was like - he said they're indecisive. And you just said, Coo, that they had to have been swayed. Well, if they're really that wishy-washy, then maybe we can unsway them!"

"Kine, that is the most _ridiculous_ -" The purple avian began, but paused once he actually considered the fish's suggestion. "...On second thought, that may actually work! Indecisiveness does mean going both ways, constantly shifting from one alternative to the other! The Rainbow Sword may possibly become our ally in this venture yet!"

"I dunno about that." Rick frowned, having since calmed down. "I don't like the idea of us and the whole of Dream Land and the Rainbow Islands having to be at the mercy of a piece of colorful metal that can't even decide who its friends are."

"I don't like the implications behind that any more than you do - my views on the legendary Rainbow Sword have shifted drastically in the past hour, but are there any more favorable options available to us at the moment? I think not."

Rick hung is head and gave a sigh of defeat. "Well, Kirbs, it looks like you're gonna have to come up with a good counterargument against Unknown for the Rainbow Sword if you want to use it to save Dedede. I have faith in you that you'll do your best - it's the sword I don't have confidence in."

"Uh, guys? Maybe we shouldn't be saying bad stuff about the sword?" The fish timidly interjected. "It is supposed to be alive, so it might be able to hear us. And it might also be less eager to help if we keep talking trash about it in front of it."

"...Yet another sound argument, Kine." Coo quietly replied, sending a wary glance towards the colorful stones in Rick's hold. "A tad off subject, but what am I to do about informing Fumu of our condition? My report is already well overdue, and I can imagine she's already sick enough with worry."

"Better not do that, Coo." The hamster advised, looking at a thick patch of clouds in the near distance. "Kracko is still on the loose, remember? If you go now, you might get zapped."

"I...suppose you're right." He reluctantly conceded, turning his attention to the mountains in front of them. "Well, we won't find ourselves any closer to the sixth Rainbow Drop by standing here. Let's go."

 **(** _Conturbatio - Puella Magi Madoka Magica_ **)**

The trio of Animal Friends and the pink puffball began their ascent of the rocky mountain trail, intending to explore the area around them as their foe had hinted. Kirby had never in his life felt so conflicted. He wasn't sure what to believe anymore - he felt just as unsettled as the stones they had gathered. The Rainbow Drops had been swayed by Unknown, and he, in turn, was becoming swayed by the Rainbow Drops.

When the time did come, he wasn't sure if he would be able to fight their enigma of an adversary at his fullest strength anymore.

He never had to hold back against the demon beasts; they were forces of evil and needed to be exterminated. Kirby held no doubts that this new foe Unknown was a malignant being, but it was more clear to him now than ever before that he was not a demon beast. The puffball had assumed his battles would be over after Nightmare's defeat, that everything would go back to normal and he and his friends would get to live out their lives in relative peace. Perhaps it was naïve of him to think everything would be that simple - he knew better now.

Shortly after celebrating Nightmare's defeat and before his long absence began, Meta Knight had told Kirby his duties as a Star Warrior were not over, that one day in the future, he would be needed again. He never elaborated on this statement, leaving Fumu, Bun, and himself with many pressing questions, which Kirby soon forgot about. But now there was one troubling question that pervaded his mind above all else.

If Unknown wasn't a demon beast, then what was he?

Kirby stopped dead in his tracks and rapidly shook his head, expelling the thought. He didn't need to think about that. What he needed was to force his mind back on track, towards their heroic objective.

It was meaningless to dwell on such matters, especially when the king of Dream Land's wellbeing was on the line, but many had always told Kirby that his curiosity would get the better of him someday and lead him into trouble. Asking questions and looking for answers was how one learned and grew; he never saw anything wrong with that, but in this case, all that should be important was rescuing King Dedede and defeating the one holding him captive. Beat the enemy and save the day - that was the formula he had grown accustomed to and lived by, and there was no reason to complicate that formula.

As a Star Warrior, he didn't need to think about anything further than that.

* * *

 **(** _The Mob - SpongeBob SquarePants_ **)**

Today was the day.

Fumu and Bun had risen from bed early that morning, ate a big breakfast, narrowly avoided an irritable, insomnia-driven and emotionally frazzled Escargon, met up with Sword, Blade and Gooey, then set off to gather the rest of their friends in preparation for what they were about to do.

Today was the day.

They had spent the rest of their morning plotting how to approach the oncoming obstacle, everyone passing along ideas that became more strange and overly complicated as the discussion progressed until ultimately they realized they were only holding the inevitable at bay. The only way to approach this problem was to muster their courage, walk directly up to it, and brace themselves.

 **Today was the day...**

Today was the day they were going to complete Gooey's community service and cement his acceptance into the village by facing the meanest and most ornery Cappy of them all, the cantankerous farmer that was sure to push the blue blob's patience and abilities to the greatest of limits, the ultimate challenge was just over the horizon - today they were going to lend their assistance to Benjamin.

In front of them was the door to the farmer's abode, the mustachioed Cappy having likely stepped inside for his lunch break according to Iroo. Their visit would be a surprise, and whether or not this worked out in their favor was yet to be revealed. All that was left to do was knock on that door...

"Well, here goes nothing." Fumu exhaled, slowly, gingerly reaching her hand outwards.

"If worse comes to worse, at least we'll have Mrs. Lilah on our side, right?" Bun let out an awkward laugh to ease his tension.

"Uh, about that..." Iroo hesitantly interjected, shuffling from side to side. "Kawasaki's has opened up again, and he's having a special where everything on the menu is priced at half-off to celebrate his restaurant's re-opening - business is really booming for him, even though the food and the service are as bad as always."

"...And what does that have to do with Mrs. Lilah?" Bun asked impatiently.

"Well, uh, what it means is..." The boy averted his gaze. "It means my mom isn't home right now; she and the rest of the ladies in the village are meeting up at Kawasaki's for afternoon lunch. ...I'm sorry! I know I probably should have said something, but I forgot, and then when I remembered, I got nervous, so I didn't! Sorry!"

" _ **Iroo!**_ " Several of the children yelled.

"I said I was sorry!" He apologetically whimpered.

"Sorry doesn't change the fact that our biggest advantage over old man Benjamin is gone for the afternoon and we had no warning in advance!" Hohhe barked, one hand on his hip and the other pointing accusingly in the boy's direction. "And what's with the belly-up routine? I thought you were going to be brave and face your dad like a man - that's what you said you were doing yesterday! What, are you gonna chicken out now that we're counting on you to say no to his face?"

A pathetic squeak was his only response. He raked his shaking hands through his hair and turned to Honey, who only frowned at him in disappointment. The boy looked despairingly at the door, the entrance to his own home never looking so terrifying in his life. He swallowed, taking wobbly steps forward as Bun and the other young Cappies either sent him hardened glares or egged him on further. Finally, Fumu had heard and seen enough.

"Guys, will you just stop?" She began to scold them. "It isn't Iroo's place to have to face Mr. Benjamin for us - we're in this together, remember? For Gooey's sake? So stop making things worse than they already are by giving Iroo a panic attack before we've even knocked on the door. Iroo, don't feel like you have to be the one to do the negotiations; I'll knock on the door, and everyone can talk to him as a group."

"No, Fumu, I'll do it." Iroo asserted, her kindhearted assurances only succeeding in making him feel worse. "He's my dad, so I need to show with my actions that I'm Gooey's friend and his reasons for me not to like him are unfair. If I'm the one that steps up, then maybe he'll take this more seriously. Come on, Gooey. Stand next to me."

The blob sidled up to him and nodded cheerfully, giving him a short lick on the arm, "We can do this!"

Iroo didn't cringe and draw back his hand as he normally would, even giving him a pat on the head in return. He then reached for the door. Before he could even make contact with the wood, suddenly the door was flung open, nearly hitting them both on its way to colliding with the wall. There in the doorframe stood the farmer, his pose imposing and looking far larger in appearance than ever - while caught in their shock, he almost appeared to be a giant. Glancing downwards with a judgmental gaze, Benjamin sneered at them.

"Iroo, my eyes must be going screwy, because it almost looks to me like you're standing next to that gluttonous disaster of a blob, even though I explicitly ordered you to stay away from him."

"No, dad. Your eyes aren't going screwy - Gooey is right here beside me, and I invited him here."

"Well, what do you know; my hearing must be going too, because it just sounded like you said you brought him here with you!" Benjamin leaned forward, his eyes narrowing into slits. "I'm done messing around now, Iroo - you've got ten seconds to rush in here and grab the broom in the kitchen to chase him off with, or you'll be in more trouble than you ever have been in your life."

"...No."

"What did you say to me?!"

"I said no!" Iroo repeated, taking a step forward. "Dad, this...this has to stop! You were mad at Kirby first and accused him without any proof of something he didn't do, and now you're mad at Gooey even though he's apologizing to the town by helping the villagers however he can. He's worked hard, and it's true the rest of the townspeople may not exactly _like_ him, but they've at least accepted that he's sorry and have stopped treating him like he's a monster. It seems like everyone else has learned to let go - everyone except _you_."

" **How _dare_ you talk back to me!** " He bellowed; raising his voice was usually a sound tactic in cowing his opposition into submission, but not this time. His son showed no signs of backing down, not even flinching at the volume of his shout. "That's it! I have more important things to do than screaming at you until my face turns blue - consider yourself up to your neck in trouble whenever you return to your senses and decide to come crawling back here!"

The sweet and shy Honey was surprisingly the first one to respond to his outburst. Before he could slam the door in their faces, she quickly stuck out her foot and stepped inside the doorframe with all the shrewdness of an extremely persistent door-to-door salesman. At his flabbergasted expression, she only smiled pleasantly, casually, and _disarmingly_ at him.

"Please excuse him for raising his voice, Mr. Benjamin - he's trying to act a little more independent. Iroo didn't mean any disrespect, sir. He's only worried about you is all. You work so hard on your vegetable farm, all day every day from morning 'til night, so he thought you might need a little break is all. That's why we're here."

"Oh really?" He questioned, his tone less rough as he stepped outside. "And I suppose Iroo came here with all his little friends, along with Sir Meta Knight's squires for some reason, all just to take some strain off my back, and that bit of defiance from my son was just his rebellious streak flaring up? You're a sweet-acting girl, but I see your game, missy. This isn't about how hard I work or giving me a break or me at all, is it? You're just trying to smooth things over so that blueberry abomination with the bugged out eyes won't get the boot - you've forced him and yourselves to beg me for a job just to save his sorry self!"

"Mr. Benjamin, Gooey came here not because anybody is forcing him to, but because he genuinely wants your forgiveness and to put his guilt at ease!" Fumu attempted to reason with him. "Can't you see he only wants to correct his mistake and help you?! You at least owe him that much!"

"I don't need any help! Least of all from _him_! And after what he did to my fields and the rest of Cappy Village, I don't owe him anything but the swing of my foot against his hide! You've already dragged Sir Meta Knight's men into your do-gooder charity protest, and I don't care if I wake up one morning to see you've brought the whole town in on it! I want all of you to **get** _**lost**_! Now you've got ten seconds to haul your miserable hides off my property before I use that broom against all of you, squires included!" Benjamin threatened, having already stepped away from the doorframe on his way to brandish said cleaning tool - he was farmed and dangerous. "One..! **Two**...! _**Three**_...!"

"So, what do we do now?" Bun muttered, standing in place then bouncing from one foot to the other. "Should we book it?"

"No, I'll handle everything from here." Blade spoke up, pushing himself to the front of the group. "Now Mr. Benjamin, can we not agree that your current behavior is somewhat unreasonable-"

 **(** _Upset Mii - Tomodachi Life_ **)**

" _ **TEN**_... **!** "

The farmer sounded his war cry, charging towards them with the broom in hand to make a swing at Gooey. Blade grabbed it by the handle before it could make contact with the blob, leading to a struggle for power. However, Benjamin was far more muscular than the squire and taller too, resulting in Blade being dragged around as the Cappy made multiple attempts to bop the blob and the rest of the kids over the head with the broom. Sword, having seen enough, went to his brother's rescue as well as the children's and drew his weapon, effectively slicing the broom apart into two pieces by striking the middle of the handle.

"You wanted to know why we needed to show up? _That's_ why." Sword boasted. "Watcha gonna do now, ey, Benjamin?"

"Why you... _ **you**_...!" He seethed, furiously gripping both parts of the broom. "I'm gonna- **OOF!** "

A few gasps sounded around them, as there standing directly behind Benjamin was his wife, Lilah. And the look on her face; a tight-lipped frown and a dangerously lowered gaze suggested that she was anything but pleased. She withdrew her elbow from the other Cappy's side, but not before digging into him and jabbing him a few times more with all the strength she possessed.

"L-Lilah!" He exclaimed with both reverence and terror. "I-I thought you were meeting the ladies at Kawasaki's for afternoon lunch..."

"Oh, I was, Benji, until I realized I forgot my purse. I came back home to get it, only to find my husband terrorizing our son and his friends, not to mention Sir Meta Knight's squires, with a broom!"

"N-Now, Lilah, sweetheart, this isn't what it looks like! Iroo was acting out, blatantly disobeying me, so we got into a little argument. And I wasn't actually going to hit anyone - I was only trying to shoo away the ones that were causing all the trouble for the both of us in the first place."

"This isn't what it looks like? That's what they _always_ say when caught in the act! And don't you act like you weren't trying to hit nobody - I _saw_ you swinging at that friendly little blob boy and the rest of those kids for all you're worth! You act like a madman for the whole neighborhood to see, then look me in the eyes and try to weasel your way out of trouble through fibbing? Well, let's just see how you like being given the same treatment! Watch this, kids."

 **(** _Flop and Go A - SpongeBob SquarePants_ **)**

She plucked the half of the broom with the straw end still attached and repeatedly smacked him over the head with it, wrenching the other half from his grasp as well after he attempted to use it to block her attacks. He continued to step backwards and her forwards, futilely shielding his face as he begged his wife for mercy. He tripped over a small stone and stumbled, falling flat on his back. Lilah pointed the end of the broom to his chest as if it were a lethally sharpened blade.

"Now you listen, and you listen _good_ , Benji. I'm tired of waking up in the morning to your mumblings over how destructive that blue blob is supposed to be and you cursing him under your every breath. I'm tired of you blaming Kirby every time something doesn't go to suit you in the fields. I'm tired of you getting mad at the drop of a hat and throwing your entire everything into your hissy fits and your silly grudges! Just let it go!" She continuously poked him with the severed broom's head with every few words that left her mouth. She sighed, "Benji, I'm not asking you to be perfect, nobody is, but you and I both know that you can be better than this."

"B-But Lilah! Our son, he...he said **no** to me! And then he wouldn't take it back! I know that I'm supposed to be the one in the wrong here, and you're rightfully upset with me, but surely Iroo's own behavior can't go unpunished! Oh sure, it's small acts of defiance now, but if we leave this unchecked, he could be on his way to a future of juvenile delinquency!"

"The only reason he said no to you was because even our boy knows when his father is acting like a bigger baby than he ever was growing up! Don't you try and drag him down with you!" She roared, unleashing another brutal round of broom smacks onto his person. After she seemed satisfied, Lilah turned around and smiled as if nothing they just witnessed had ever occurred. "Gooey, sweetie? Is that your name? Benjamin would **_love_** to have a farmhand or more around the place. Isn't that right, honeybear?"

"Y-Yes, I would really appreciate the additional help." The farmer said as he picked himself up, his tone wooden and convincing to no one.

"Oh, uh, that's great." Bun said after a lengthy pause. "Thanks a lot, Mrs. Lilah."

"Thank you very much!" Gooey was the second to recover from the shock, bouncing up to Lilah and giving her a slobbery lick on the arm. Unlike most, she wasn't disgusted in the slightest, his gesture even having the exact opposite effect on her.

"Oh, aren't you just the _sweetest_ thing! I could just take you home with me!" She gushed, picking up the blob and practically throttling him with affection, Gooey's eyes bulging with every squeeze of his body yet still smiling blankly all the while.

"I just know I'm going to regret this..." Benjamin grumbled, glaring daggers at the oblivious gooball. " **OOF!** What did I do that time?!"

"Uh, Iroo?" Bun casually wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders, perhaps to provide comfort. "It's not like I just realized this now, but I thought I should say it anyway - your family is really weird."

"I know..." He whimpered in response.

* * *

"So, you want to learn how to farm, do ya?" Benjamin asked rhetorically, arms folded in front of his chest. "Well, it's not just burying seeds in the ground - it's a lot of hard work! If you want to learn how to farm, we're gonna have to start with the basics."

 **(** _Pumpkin Pastime - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword_ **)**

The Cappy had begrudgingly dragged them to the fields in the family's backyard to begin their lessons in agriculture. Already in a number of the plots of soil stood small sprouts that only recently sprang from the dirt. Iroo's family had put every ounce of their effort into regaining what was lost, but there was still so much more to be done and not enough hands to do it - until today, that is.

Lilah had left for Kawasaki's once more after she felt her husband could be trusted to be left alone with the flock of children and the pair of squires. Nevertheless, she told Iroo to immediately report to her if Benjamin misbehaved again. Iroo was beginning to feel less like their son and more like an overworked nanny - and for his own father.

"If you want forgiveness, blob, then you're gonna learn and experience exactly what we farmers go through every day whenever we do our jobs. First things first, though - you need to know your tools of the trade."

He trudged over to the wooden shed located behind their house and came back with an armful of equipment. Iroo was already more than familiar with the ins and outs of farming, having helped his father in the fields plenty of times in the past and especially so throughout the week. Cappy Village was mostly a farming community, so every citizen of the village held at least a little knowledge regarding agriculture. Gooey was the only one left out of the loop, and it seemed Benjamin felt he was required to explain everything about his occupation from the bottom up.

"Now you've got your seeds, but what you'll need first is a hoe to till the ground with. After you've planted those seeds, then you've got to water them with a watering can. We can't depend on the rain to do our work all the time; everything would shrivel up and die if we did that. Then there's the bags of fertilizer. That helps the plants grow faster. Finally, we've got an axe and a hammer. Anybody got any questions?"

"E-Excuse me?" Fumu raised her hand concernedly. "Why are axes or hammers needed for farming?"

"Because, since the incident, we've had to increase our crop output by adding more fields. That means clearing off more land so we can prepare more fields for use. Now before you get your ponytail into a twist, the land we're using isn't part of any forests or anything, it's land that we farmers have always had but hadn't needed to use until now. Naturally, nature's kind of taken over those spots, so that means we have lots of small trees and some shrubs to chop down and plenty of rocks to crush up before any cultivating can be done. That'll be you two squires' job."

"That sounds simple enough." Sword and Blade nodded.

"Now as for what'll be left of those rocks and trees, you bring those over and store them in the shed. Lumber and material stone can be mighty useful for other things and can fetch a good price in the shipping market in large enough numbers. Okay, I've said my part, so here you go, get started."

The two took the tools from him and went over to the area the farmer directed them to a little ways away to begin their task. Even while they worked, they would be keeping a close watch on Benjamin for any signs of excessive cruelty towards their blobby charge. After what they had witnessed earlier, they couldn't bring themselves to trust him just yet, even with Lilah's hand in the scheme of things getting them this far.

"Alright, we've got the cleaning crew sorted out, so every one of you kids except the blob will get watering and fertilizer duty. As for you, blob boy, you're coming with me. You see that empty spot of land right there that's already been cleared off? You're going to make me a field from scratch, and it's going to look exactly like all the other ones you see around here."

"Good luck, Gooey." Bun whispered before joining the others. "We're here for you, man."

"Okay! Good luck to you too!" He cheerfully replied, waving to him and his other friends.

"Poor little guy..." Sword muttered. "There he goes, off to work without a care in the world with the guy who tried to whack him with a broom earlier."

"Alright, enough with the pleasantries." Benjamin grumbled, holding up the hoe with one hand, "Now, do you remember what this is?"

"I know, I know! It's for making dirt ready! A moe?" The blob guessed, though he felt something wasn't quite right.

"No... But you got what it was for, at least, so I'll give you that much." The Cappy then raised the tool into the air and struck the ground once, then twice for good measure. "That's how you move the ground to make a field. Now you try it. Wait just a minute... Just how do you expect to work without any hands?!"

Gooey touched the top of his head with his tongue, then his face scrunched up in concentration. Just when it seemed Benjamin was about to lose what little patience he had accumulated, suddenly clusters of small rounded nubs appeared across every inch of the blob's body. He wiggled them and smiled, clearly pleased with himself. Benjamin, however, was disturbed beyond words.

"...I didn't need to see that. All you'll need is two. No more than two." He dropped the hoe in front of him and rubbed his temples. "Now you suck back in all those extra arms and get started with the tilling just like I showed you. And only do the tilling. Nothing else."

The farmer decided to check on the rest of the group while the blob was left to his own devices to finish the rather monotonous task. He raised his tool then hit the earth, repeating the action for several minutes. He turned his attention upwards to look at the surrounding fields and then his own, noticing it was nowhere near close to looking like the rest. At this rate, it would take him ages just to finish preparing a suitable plot of dirt that amounted to even half the size of the others. He poked the tip of his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in thought, waiting for an off-the-wall idea to come to him like the other ones that helped him get this far.

"All right, everything looks good over there," Benjamin said to himself as he observed the squires' work. He then made his way over to the children tending to the budding produce. "Honey, I know it hasn't rained in a while, and you're trying to help, but I think you might be drowning those turnips. And Bun, don't just pile the fertilizer in one spot like that! You gotta spread it around! Iroo, show him how it's done!"

"Hey, how come out of all of us here, you're the only one he's trying to be nice to?" Hohhe muttered to Honey, the pigtailed Cappy shrugging in response, just as lost as him as to why.

Iroo had a good guess as to why, but he didn't dare voice it aloud. It would be far too embarrassing, and he hoped his father wouldn't say anything that would give his thoughts away. As foul-tempered as Benjamin was, he wasn't blind to his son's feelings. He tried to not make things more difficult for him when it came to his and Honey's friendship and how Honey may potentially perceive Iroo. The key word being _tried_. Iroo just counted his lucky stars that she was still speaking to him after having been exposed to his family's weirdness as much as she already had. However, after witnessing the broom episode and even being a victim of it, he did have his assumptions that she wouldn't exactly be too willing to marry into his family when they were older. He couldn't really blame her for it either.

He audibly squeaked at that last thought, his cheeks turning a light shade of red. As he tried to not look anxious and keep a cool face around both his father and his crush, out of the corner of his eye and just over Benjamin's shoulder, he spotted Gooey...doing something odd. Gooey was always doing odd things, so on any other occasion he wouldn't have been as concerned, but he was doing something odd while on his already irate father's property when he was supposed to be laboring to earn his forgiveness.

Iroo attempted to ignore his actions and focus on his own task so as not to draw Benjamin's attentions towards the blob, but he couldn't help but continue to look, almost as if his gaze was being magnetically drawn to him. The others soon began noticing his strange behavior and eventually their eyes were fixed on Gooey as well. Everyone simultaneously gulped when Benjamin turned around to see for himself what they were gawking at.

 **(** _Work To Be Done - Don't Starve_ **)**

" ** _What on Pop Star does he think he's doing?!_** " He hollered, too taken aback to snatch the utensil away from him, not after seeing how he was using it.

Once the mustachioed man had turned his back on him, the blob had jammed the blade of the tool deep into the earth, then grabbed the handle with his tongue and began dragging it along behind him. In the short amount of time that Benjamin hadn't been supervising him, he had already prepared three fields and was almost finished with the fourth. Unknowingly, Gooey had discovered and re-invented the plow.

"It looks to me like he's doing a good job," Hohhe commented, "Look at that, he's already done! Wow, the village was right - he really can do just about anything."

"Anything except follow orders." The older Cappy grunted. "That is **not** how I showed him to till the fields."

"Wait, you're not actually mad at him just because he didn't finish the job _exactly_ how you instructed, are you?" Fumu asked, frowning. "Mr. Benjamin, I know Gooey's methods lean on the bizarre side of things, but I've learned that if you only give him your trust, he really can be dependable. And look, now that he's finished, he's waiting patiently over there for you to give him his next assignment."

"Listen here missy, I've been doing things here on this farm the same way for years, and my vegetables are some of the best in Dream Land - probably _the_ best. It's through _my_ way of doing things that this farm has gone on as long as it has. There's no point in trying to fix something that isn't broke. And if I wanted my fields tilled like he does it, I would have gotten myself a plow and a mule."

"So what, are you going to plant some grass there and wait until it grows up so he can do it over again _your_ way?" Sword heckled. "I thought the farmers here were supposed to be desperate to get back what they lost. If you ask me, you shouldn't be too choosy with how the job's done if the result is right in the end."

"I _didn't_ ask you, so you just hush and get back to your hammering!" Benjamin turned around to yell, then faced Gooey with a sigh of defeat. "Alright, the green one's got a point. If I weren't so strapped on resources and time, I _would_ plant some grass and call you back here after it grew to do it all over again, but we need the produce and we don't have the time to waste, so we'll go ahead and use these fields. But you have to listen to me and do what I tell you to do _how_ I tell you to do it, understand?"

"Mmm...okay!" The blob readily agreed, his mouth opening to create a wide-mouthed grin while performing a strange salute with his tongue.

"Put that tongue back in your mouth, boy! You won't be needing it for anything you're doing here." The Cappy ordered, now having no lingering questions left as to how this creature had devoured the village's entire supply of crops, not to mention the rest of the food in town. "Now look here, these bags have got seeds in them. We dig a little hole in the ground and then drop the seed in, cover it up, then water it. Surely you can't mess that up too much?"

"Sounds good!" He said eagerly, lifting the hoe haphazardly into the air only to have it snatched from him. The corners of his mouth turned downwards. "...Why'd you do that?"

"A hoe isn't what you use to dig a hole! That's what a trowel is for!"

"Towel?" The crease on Gooey's forehead deepened as he tilted his body to the side in utter confusion. "Why a towel? Is it bath time?"

" ** _AUGH!_** Calm down, Benji. Calm down..." He took a deep breath, at least making an effort to keep his emotions in check. "I don't know if you're hard of hearing, you don't pay attention, or you really are just that dim. A _trowel_. It looks like a shovel, but it's small, and you can hold it with one hand! Weren't you listening at all earlier?!"

"Mr. Benjamin..." Fumu interrupted, "You never mentioned a trowel in your explanation earlier."

"What? Of course I did! See, it's right he-...Oh." He silently walked into the shed to retrieve the missing tool. "Well then, it, uh, seems I made a mistake. ...Sorry about that. Well, you know what a trowel is for now, so here, take it and get to work!"

Gooey went to grab it with his tongue, but the farmer held it out of his reach. "I said put that tongue back in your mouth, boy! What was the whole point in making all those hands pop up out of you and leaving me with mental scars if you weren't going to use any of them?! And no, _please_ don't do that again. There, I said please."

"...Okay." The blob agreed, now sounding less enthusiastic than he was before.

"Alright, enough tomfoolery. These here are our seeds." He held up several bags, all of them the exact same color of brown, but on the front of each was a different springtime vegetable embroidered on the fabric. Gooey examined the designs with interest, and for a moment Benjamin actually smiled. "Do you like those? I kept getting frustrated over having to open the bags just to tell what kind of seeds were in there, so Lilah made them for me. She's the greatest."

The Cappy dug a hole in the ground and opened the bag with the cabbage seeds, then planted one. He handed the rest to Gooey and prompted him to do the same. He did so as Benjamin tended to the other side of the plot of soil, and all was going well for a while. All until he felt a sudden powerful tickling sensation in his nostrils. Gooey sneezed, and the force of said sneeze was enough to knock the bag out of his hand and send it flying across the property, spilling the remainder of its contents as it soared through the air. The empty bag then fluttered down from the sky, was picked up by a gust of wind and, as if being propelled by fate, finally landed by slapping Benjamin in the face.

"...Uh oh." Bun plainly summarized everyone else's thoughts at that moment aloud.

" **You**... _ **you**_...!" The farmer sputtered, removing the empty bag and clutching it with shaking hands. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?! All those grown cabbages together could have been sold for a total of what would be one week's worth of income at the farmer's market! You flushed that down the drain with your carelessness! Now look, they've been thrown around the entire place, in the grass and close to over the fence! All those seeds won't ever turn up, even if every one of us were to stop what we're doing and get down on all fours looking for them!"

"Dad, please don't yell at him. It was just an accident." Iroo pleaded.

"Yeah, an ' _accident_ '. That's what everyone in the village keeps calling this whole mess he caused! How do you _accidentally_ demolish a whole town overnight? How do you _accidentally_ eat the entire food supply of that town by yourself? You don't! You just don't! The rest of you can stay, but this one has to go! He's a walking disaster just waiting to happen, and just being around him while he's idle is enough to make me get awfully close to busting a vessel! ... **Where'd he go?!** "

Gooey had sauntered away from the shouting man, the blacks of his pupils filling the entire space of his eye-whites. At first, everyone assumed the farmer finally broke him and was seconds away from an emotional outpouring of tears. But no, his gaze was glued to the ground; he was collecting the scattered seeds with one hand and holding them with his other. Using his abilities of adaptation, he had enlarged parts of his eyes to function as a magnifying glass. After he seemed to be finished with his search, he quietly hopped over to Benjamin, took the bag from him, then poured his gatherings into it. The Cappy wordlessly peered down into it to see it was filled to the exact same amount it was before it had been blown away. Gooey then carried his little sack of seeds over to the field and continued carrying out his previously assigned task as if the entire debacle had never taken place.

Everyone continued to watch the blob in stunned silence as he busily toiled in the dirt. He dug a little hole in the ground, dropped a seed in and covered it, patting down the soil, but no, he didn't move on to the next space, not yet. He reached across the field and grabbed a watering can with his long tongue, then watered the spot in front of him. After that, he stretched over and grabbed a bag of fertilizer to sprinkle the little mound with plant food. Gooey smiled and hummed to himself in satisfaction, then he repeated the process with the area beside him, showing just as much care and attention to detail.

"Uh, Mr. Benjamin, I think he's got this whole farming thing down." Bun was the first to speak up. "You know, with you being so loud and jumpy around him and so particular with how everything's done by him especially, it makes me think you might actually be scared of him."

"Scared?!" He whipped his head around to look at him, sounding insulted. "Why would I be scared of him?! If anything, he should be scared of me!"

"But he isn't." Sword was quick to point out. "At the beginning of this week, he would have been. When we first found Gooey, he was timid and prone to freaking out over anything. If today had been a few days ago, the moment you stepped out onto that porch with that broom he would have screamed and run for the hills. Now he's taking everything you throw at him like a champ. He's not reacting at all to your screaming because Gooey thinks you're trying to use the exact same tactics he once used and believes he understands how you feel."

"Tactics? What do you mean tactics? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Mr. Benjamin, whether you realize it or not, whenever it seems something is not turning out in your favor, you have a tendency to, for lack of better wording, throw tantrums." Fumu answered, swiftly continuing before he could interrupt. "Whenever Gooey felt uncomfortable or at a disadvantage, he would flail around and make noise until the situation he was in changed or whoever was making him feel threatened stood down." Suddenly, she gasped, having pieced together then why the incident that nearly demolished Cappy Village happened in the first place. "That's why he tore apart the village and why it really was an accident - someone must have seen him somewhere in the village that night and frightened him; there must have been a confrontation of some kind, leading to him having some sort of panic attack! He's probably a stress eater too! Once he started panicking he couldn't gain control of his senses, and before he knew it he had done something he never meant to do!"

 **(** _Defend Globe (Ending) - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky_ **)**

"That sounds...just like what happens to me whenever I lose my temper." A light seemed to have dawned on Benjamin. "It's like a haze comes in and covers my eyes, and then I say and do a lot of things I end up feeling sorry for having done later. ...It's a problem I've had ever since I was a kid, and giving apologies and admitting I was wrong is something that never was and still isn't easy for me. Even so, Lilah still saw good in me and agreed to marry me. She's had to set me straight plenty of times, but she's never gave up on me. Not once. ...And none of you ever gave up on him once, even when everybody else here thought he was a lost cause."

"It took a great amount of patience and effort to reform Gooey, but we never once considered abandoning him throughout the trials and tribulations of the process," Blade explained. "Especially not after being informed he's very likely to be an abandoned child, which is why he may have wandered to Cappy Village in search of food."

Benjamin's jaw went slack. "...You mean someone actually might have left him out there in the woods to fend for himself? But...he's a kid. ...He's a **_kid_**?! This whole time I thought he was just some kind of weird little creature that could repeat what he heard, not an actual kid!"

"That's what we've been trying to tell you this whole time, Mr. Benjamin." Fumu gave him a weary smile, though she was pleased he was finally beginning to understand. "None of us know exactly what he is, but what we do know without a doubt is that Gooey is just as much a child as Kirby is, or any one of us, for that matter."

"Oh stars... I've got some apologizing to do." Benjamin swallowed, genuinely wrapped in guilt.

"Maybe wait until later to do that, though." Bun said, pointing to the back of the occupied Gooey. "He looks like he's pretty deep into what he's doing - if you say something to him now, he might not even hear you at all at the rate he's going. That is, unless you don't really want him to hear you."

"No, I want him to hear me." The farmer conceded, picking up his discarded tools. "Let's finish up what we've already started. I can use the time I've got until then to think of a good apology, something that really sounds and feels like I mean it. I did say that apologies never were easy for me."

The group resumed work until the sun began to set, the time of day when farmers officially ceased their activities. As reluctant as his pride was in willing to admit it, Benjamin did acknowledge that Gooey had contributed heavily to their increase in production today. What would have taken him several days to accomplish alone, they had completed in a single afternoon. He was thankful for their help now, and he felt he needed to show his gratitude - and he knew how to, when the time came.

"Listen, eh...I'm not too good at this whole humility thing, but you probably figured that much already." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to keep his gaze focused on Gooey, who only stared up at him curiously. "I'm-I'm really sorry. I had no idea that you were a kid, but I suppose even if you weren't that wouldn't have made my behavior any more justified. If a little guy like you can get straightened out in such a short while, then I don't have much of an excuse for why I can't. Still, can you ever forgive me?"

The little blob seemed to ponder his options for the moment, but then he grinned brightly. "Aww, only kidding! It's alright, it's all good!"

"I really am sorry, to all of you for everything: the yelling, the insults, the threats, trying to hit you with a broom..."

"Seeing Mrs. Lilah smack you around with the broom kind of made up for it, though." Sword voiced, earning a few nods of agreement rather than the reprimanding he usually gets.

Fumu smiled to herself, relieved to see everyone getting along and that Gooey's predicament finally seemed to be at an end. The one who had been most vocally against him had showed him sympathy and even found a sort of strange kinship with the blob - now he could begin living his new life in Cappy Village with a greater ease. However, since their challenge was over and her focus was no longer engaged, only worry was left in her heart. The fact remained that Coo had not arrived at his appointed time last night, and the owl was not one who broke his promises. Something had obviously happened on the Rainbow Islands, and she feared for Kirby's and his companions' safety.

She had waited for so long on the balcony in the cold the previous night, and she would do the same this night as well. The girl recalled how addled and heartbroken she had been when she awoke later to find herself tucked in bed with no indicators of the purple avian having visited. That morning at breakfast she received pitying glances from both her parents, her brother and Lololo and Lalala. She didn't want pity, though. What she wanted more than anything was a confirmation that Kirby was safe - she didn't even care for the intricate explanations or details at this point, as long as she was certain he was alright.

But somehow, she already knew; she would most likely be up and awake until another eventual collapse brought her to a restless slumber once more.

"Alright, Iroo, your mother should be home soon, and the rest of you kids should be getting home for dinner yourselves before it gets cold." Benjamin noted the sun's rapid descent over the horizon, bathing the farmlands in hues of red and orange. "And don't worry, if anyone asks, I'll put in a good word for your blob friend, eh, Gooey."

"Thank you, Mr. Benjamin, for giving him the chance." Fumu spoke tiredly before letting out a drawn out yawn.

"And girly? Get some sleep. I would have sent you home earlier with those bags under your eyes if I thought it would have done any good. I know you're worried about Kirby, but take care of yourself a little, would you? He would want you to, no matter what sort of trouble he may have gotten himself into."

"...I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Benjamin." She answered, technically not forming an agreement with him to do so before turning around and making her way to the castle with Gooey, her brother and the squires.

"Iroo, you've got the most stubborn friends. ...Yeah, I know, I'm really one to talk." The mustachioed Cappy mumbled. "Well, I think today went well! I wonder what Lilah has in mind for dinner."

"I hope she isn't bringing home leftovers from Kawasaki's."

"I hope she isn't too, son. I hope she isn't too..." Both of them violently shuddered in horror before suddenly bursting out into laughter. "Alright, scoot on inside. I'll meet you in there in a bit. And if you smell Kawasaki's cooking, pretend to be ill like we practiced. There's no point in both of us having to suffer."

A few minutes later, Lilah came walking down the road, thankfully with no bag bearing the reviled restaurant's emblem in her grasp. She looked around the place for a few seconds and chuckled to herself.

"Well, I see the house and the whole street is still in one piece. Now, was spending the whole day with that sweet little blob, your son and his friends really that horrible?"

"On the contrary, Lilah, it was actually pretty great once I finally got a lid on my temper." He laughed again, but it sounded somewhat weak to her. He grimaced, now filled with remorse. "Lilah, I had no idea he was a kid. I thought this whole time he was like, like some animal, or a pet, or-"

"Benji, sweetie, I tried to tell you that before, and so did those kids." She sighed, shaking her head with a smile. "But, I suppose realizing late is better than never, right pumpkin?"

"...How many of the townspeople know it too, though?" He inquired, his voice dropping down to a whisper.

"I'm sure some of them had to have realized it by now if they weren't already told. ...Are you worried about the town meeting tomorrow?"

"Yes! We adults have to sit and suffer over the knowledge of it, but those kids, they don't know anything! The mayor told us not to say anything about it to them, and at the time I didn't see anything wrong with that. But now? It's almost suffocating!"

"Aww, Benji, I'm sure it'll turn out alright. They've worked so hard this week. There's no possibility the rest of the town hasn't noticed that."

"I know they have, but those kids, they've still got one heavy storm of a surprise ahead of them..."

* * *

 **(** _Cloudy Park - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Just as Unknown informed, Cloudy Park's Rainbow Drop was indeed hidden in the mountainous region not far from where Kirby and friends encountered him. Higher up in the skies, stowed away deep within a chamber located inside a remote cavern was where they found the fragment of the Rainbow Sword. What Unknown hadn't hinted to them, however, was how exceedingly difficult reaching their destination was going to be. The skyward path leading to the cavern had been riddled with gaping holes that, if one took a single misstep, they would find themselves plummeting downwards towards the surface world below - and it was a _long_ way down.

The trip took several hours out of their day, the four traveling at a snail's pace, all so they wouldn't meet their end by either crashing into the ocean or onto some island that lied beneath the clouds. Even though Coo was the proficient flier of their team, he wasn't confident that he could catch them had anyone stumbled over the edges of the floating island. He had carried both Rick and Kirby before with little trouble, and he doubted Kine would have contributed too much extra weight had the unlikely scenario where all three took a dangerous tumble occurred, but with a berserk electrical-based creature on the prowl, it was highly probable the owl would have been struck by lightning mere moments after he lifted himself into the air.

Kracko did show himself eventually, shortly after they had reached the edge of Cloudy Park where the Rainbow Bridge laid in pieces. It was when the young Star Warrior stepped closer towards the wreckage that the attack was sprung on him. A single large eyeball peeked out from the cloudy terrain underneath his feet; the surrounding clouds converging to form its stub of a body directly in front of him, stopping only when it was at eye-level with Kirby.

 **(** _It's Boss Time! - Kirby's Dream Land 2_ **)**

Kirby hadn't copied an ability beforehand, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to defeat a Kracko this strong without one, even while in a weaker form. Rick and Coo risked their own wellbeing to distract the creature while Kine and the puffball quickly searched the area for an ability. Finding nothing of use, Kine then selflessly tore off one of his own scales for Kirby to inhale, effectively becoming Cutter Kirby. He threw the blade attached to his helmet and gave a warning cry directed at his other two friends to step aside. The cutter boomerang effectively sliced through Kracko, forcing him to reform his body. His second form held more similarities to the demon beast version Kirby had once fought, the spikes protruding from its body functioning as lightning rods to absorb and discharge electricity. Kracko gave out a horrendous screech and charged towards them.

In the ensuing strife, the four balanced dealing damage onto their foe and avoiding taking damage themselves while simultaneously becoming aware of the battle straying too close to the island's edge. At last, after a near endless cycle of striking and being struck, the pitch black corruption within Kracko had finally been purged from his system. He took off flying into the sunset before the heroes could even examine him for any signs of injury. That was just how the Kracko species was as a whole - ready and raring to go no matter the circumstances.

 **(** _Dark World - Yume Nikki_ **)**

Using the restorative powers of the Rainbow Drop, Kirby repaired the bridge that connected Cloudy Park to the final island, Dark Castle. The last isle certainly lived up to its name - a massive, imposing colony-sized citadel bathed in shades of shadow, of blacks and grays and deep, deep purples.

It was proposed by historians that a great and powerful king once lived there and ruled over the archipelago, but as the centuries passed, if there was a monarch, the royal bloodline eventually petered out into nothing. Dark Castle was now under the ownership of an eccentric billionaire who rented out rooms in the colossal keep to tourists, stirring up local legends of ghosts and other phantoms that haunted the halls after perishing during the presumed war between the islands. Now there was a real phantom residing there, and his unanticipated arrival had caused those who inhabited the castle to swiftly flee the premises.

Kirby and his friends had built a campfire next to the Rainbow Bridge as they didn't want to burden Alphonse with an additional night's stay in his home, and they certainly weren't going to sleep anywhere inside Dark Castle as long as Unknown was there. The fact alone that the castle was currently towering over them was enough for the four to feel uneasy.

When evening gradually transitioned to twilight, and the stars began to appear in the violet sky, they felt themselves beginning to drift off to sleep after a long and exhausting day. That is, until a voice from behind made everyone nearly leap out of their skin. They whirled around to find a single dulled red eye staring at them from the shadows. The cyclops stepped forward into the light of the fire.

 **(** _Waltz for Zizi - Cowboy Bebop_ **)**

"Ey, I thought you lot could use some help dealing with ol' Kracko," The purple-skinned Waddle Doo casually skulked up to them with a large backpack strapped to his back. "...But it looks to me like you done got everything taken care of. Stars, didn't mean to scare ya that bad. Didn't think I was _that_ bad lookin'. All of ya look like you've seen a ghost."

"Ah, forgive us, Mr. Alphonse." Coo apologized, heaving a breath of relief. "It's just that for a moment in time, we feared you were...someone else."

"This someone else don't sound like no friend of yours."

"He isn't. Believe us, he isn't." Rick affirmed, taking a few distrustful glimpses at Dark Castle. "So what are you doing out here? Don't tell us you were worried about us."

"Eh, yeah, maybe a little." He admitted with a shrug, settling down by the fire next to Kirby. "I don't suppose none of ya have any food?"

At the mention of food, the pink puffball's gut let out a horrible wail. Kirby looked up at Alphonse with a pitiful expression, his empty stomach having made the answer clear.

"I thought as much. Which is why I brought these with me." He rummaged in his sack and pulled out five thermoses. "It's spicy seafood gumbo. Thought you'd need somethin' to warm ya up on a cold night like this. Cloudy Park gets to freezin' at this time a year, and those winds'll about cut ya in two. No need to thank me, just eat 'n enjoy it."

"Tankyu!" Kirby voiced his appreciation anyway, eagerly snatching up one of the thermoses and prying off the lid.

"So, are any of ya gonna get around to tellin' me why ya were actin' so spooked and who this not-friend of yours is?" The retired Star Warrior questioned, pouring out some of his own stew into a cup after everyone else began to eat their serving.

"It's...it's not good, Mr. Al. Not good at all." Kine spoke up.

The others felt as though they shouldn't trouble him with their problems as it was no longer his place to deal with such matters, but the ocean sunfish thought that Alphonse, being a veteran Galaxy Soldier and Star Warrior, could provide some form of advice or emotional support in their time of uncertainty. Surely he's been through worse in his lifetime. When his recounting of the day's events had concluded, the Waddle Doo remained as stone-faced as ever, his upper eyelid hadn't moved even a centimeter wider in surprise.

"Well, that sure sounds like a sad 'n sorry state of affairs." He stated, staring back at them with that same blank, half-lidded stare. "Y'know, when I'm feelin' low, listenin' to some music usually perks me up a bit."

Kirby and friends could only silently gape at him, either in awe at his nonchalance or the fact that something besides romance novels was capable of brightening his mood. Still, they decided to be polite and accept whatever act of kindness it was that he offered them. He retrieved an odd, somewhat aged machine from his pack; it was oval shaped, stood on four legs, had several slits in its front sides, a series of buttons lined up on the top of its surface, a few knobs, a dial, and a long antennae protruding from its side.

"Al, what is that doohickey?" Rick pointed at the device as if it would bite him.

"It's a radio, chowderhead." He dryly replied, fiddling with the adjustments only to receive blaring static in response. "Aw, come on, baby, don't you do this to me. Not after all we've been through together."

" **BZZZZT**... **KRRZT**... **BZZZZZZZT**..."

"Well fine, just be that way then!" He shouted after nearly five minutes of dealing with the thing, giving it a light smack in his frustration. The obnoxious static it was emitting suddenly cut off, the device coughing out one last dying pop. Alphonse gasped. "Oh no, what'd I do...? I...I killed it."

"Al, take it easy, would you?" Rick made an awkward attempt at comforting him. "It's just a radio, nothing to get depressed over."

 **(** _Votre Toast - Bizet_ **)**

Without any warning prior, the radio sprung back to life, and a man's voice was heard belting out an opera piece through the crackling of the speakers as Kirby and his companions reeled back at the abruptness of it.

"Toréador, en garde! Toréador!  
Toréador!  
Et songe bien, oui, songe en combatant,  
Qu'un œil noir te regarde,  
Et que l'amour t'attend,  
Toréador, l'amour, l'amour t'attend!"

"...Huh, well would'ja listen to that - this baby's pickin' up a station all the way on Halfmoon! I knew you'd never lemme down." Alphonse seemed to grin, giving the radio a proud pat.

"Uh, Al? Not that we don't appreciate it after all that you did to get the thing up and running, but..." Rick began, giving the radio an odd glance. "Why opera? And why specifically an opera that's being sung in what I _think_ might be Halfmoon's native language?"

"Ey, what's wrong with opera? And besides, you saw just as well that this radio's doin' its best. I've had this baby since my days in the GSA, and its so old that nobody here knows how to fix it, but there ain't no way I'm replacin' it. At this point it's practically got a mind a it's own, so it's best for _you_ not to be too picky. "

"I still don't understand a word of this, though, and I doubt any of us here have a clue what that guy's bellowing about, either."

"I do bear an _inkling_ of comprehension of Halfmoon's native tongue, but certainly not enough to translate by ear, or even decipher their written language." Coo sheepishly intervened; he then attempted to save face by providing some background on the topic. "There are few who remain that speak it fluently in this day and age - it's almost perished outside the world of theater, I'm afraid to say."

"Ya don't have to understand a song to appreciate it." Alphonse argued, then let out a groan of defeat. "Alright, I don't know any Halfmoon speak, but lucky for you all, I do know a bit on this particular music piece, so I can tell ya what the song's about if it'll make ya happy."

"...I'm kind of curious over what it says, even if anyone else isn't." Kine voiced his opinion.

"Okay, I'll spare ya from havin' to listen to a cover of the song in the Gamble Galaxy's common language with my singin' voice, so I'll just give the translation to ya straight." He cleared his throat. "Toreador, on guard! Toreador! Toreador! And think well, yes, think as you are fighting that a dark eye is watching you, and that love is waiting for you, Toreador, love, love is waiting for you!"

"...What's a toreador?" They asked after a beat.

"It's a bullfighter, but back in the army, Galaxy Soldiers from Halfmoon were also called toreadors. The song's about the glory the toreador gets outta fightin' and pleasin' the crowd, even though he knows there's a good chance of 'im gettin' killed out there doin' his job, but he loves it anyway. ...Kinda messed up, ain't it?"

"Stars above, who'd want to keep at a job where you always run a high risk of dying every day?" Rick questioned incredulously. "Eh, details like that don't really matter to the playwrights, I guess. It's just an opera, after all; none of it's real."

"Just an opera...right." The Waddle Doo repeated, sending Kirby a meaningful glance. He looked down at the watch on his wrist then turned off the radio. "Well, it's about my usual bedtime. I'm an early to bed, early to rise kinda guy. If you plan on stayin' awake for much longer, feel free to make as much a ruckus as you want - I'm a heavy sleeper."

"You're spending the rest of night in our company?" Coo inquired, caught by surprise.

"Sure, unless you just don't want me to. I figured you lot seemed pretty scared of that anonymous guy, so I thought I'd stay with ya for extra support until daylight at least, since I'm probably way more scary than any livin' disembodied shadow. I may be retired, but what kinda jerk would I be to leave ya alone by yourselves in the dark after hearin' about that mess?"

"Well, what else can we say but...thank you!" The owl expressed; admittedly, he felt safer with the other Star Warrior around.

"Don't mention it." He replied, spreading out his sleeping back on the fluffy terrain, crawling inside and zipping himself up. "Oh, and you probably don't wanna do any flyin' at this time a night if you really are bein' stalked, take my word for it. If ya got any appointments, ya better wait 'til mornin'."

"But there's someone in Dream Land that really cares about and is missing Kirby, and she's been waiting to hear from him for days now but hasn't gotten to because of Unknown's meddling," Kine insisted, knowing that poor Fumu must have surely worried herself sick by now.

"I'm real sorry to hear that, but trust me on this one - ya don't wanna go out there at this time a night. I won't stop ya if ya decide to go anyway, but I've gave ya a fair warnin'." Alphonse huffed, rolling over to face away from them. "Please, just try and hold out until the sun rises if ya can."

"Oh dear..." Coo uttered despairingly, the mental image of the blonde waiting on her balcony in vain riddling his conscience with guilt. "It's only until morning. It's only until morning..."

"Hey, if you're a heavy sleeper, then what'll you do if something happens while the rest of us are asleep?" Rick queried, beginning to doubt the veteran's usefulness.

"My head can filter out chatter, but if somethin' goes on while I'm asleep, my body'll know it. I'll react before the rest of you lot even get woken up good." He assured them, not even turning around. "...So goodnight to ya."

"...Goodnight." The others replied, an awkward silence following.

With their stomachs full and nothing else to do but wait until daylight, Kirby and his friends settled onto the ground, the natural plushness of the clouds beneath them easing them into slumber. All except the puffball, who's nerves kept him awake for a while longer. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will himself to sleep, but none of his attempts proved to be successful. The young Star Warrior shifted onto his side, staring up at the citadel's silhouette in the darkness looming in the distance as Alphonse's earlier words ominously echoed.

 _"And think well, yes, think as you are fighting that a dark eye is watching you..."_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Oh, wow, how long has it been since I last posted two chapters in the same month? A long time, and it'll probably be a long time again before this occurence ever happens again, _if_ it ever happens again. I forgot how stressful completing things under a deadline is. I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could complete and post another chapter by the end of the month, and for a while I thought I could do that and have time to spare, but no. So please forgive me if there's any typos in the story or some of the writing seems weird, even though I triple-checked, and if any of the music links sound a bit off since I was also under pressure during the selection as well. Never again will I impose a deadline on myself for a chapter ever again. It was entirely too madness-inducing, and believe me, you don't want an even crazier author behind this keyboard.

So, we have another new character introduced, and he's also a Waddle Doo. What can I say? I like cyclopses. Alphonse is a character that I didn't really mean to create, but he sort of wrote himself into existence anyway. He has a scary face, a low and gravelly voice, and makes a habit of mincing words in conversation. But really, he's quite the softie if you couldn't already tell. I have a weakness for male characters with intimidating appearances, but contrastingly, they also have delicate interests or unseemingly gentle personalities. Alphonse isn't exactly what I would call gentle, but he does have rather delicate interests, and he cares a lot more than he ever lets on. Part of his design comes from the Waddle Doos and Waddle Dees that appear on planet Skyhigh, which is from Kirby Super Star/Ultra in the Milky Way Wishes subgame - they're purple rather than red or orange, which makes me curious on what other variants may be out there that we may have not yet seen. Some with black-on-white colorations would be cool, then it would look like all of them were wearing tuxedos.

The little bit of fourth-wall leaning earlier in this chapter was meant to be a lighthearted poke at all the Coffee Shop AU romance fics that have cropped up in larger fandoms through the past few years. I haven't come across that many myself, seeing as I'm member to a relatively smaller fandom, but apparently they're supposed to be very popular amongst fic writers and readers alike. Which brings me to my next point...

After Story just isn't getting the views, comments, or attention I thought it was going to get. So, it's time to move onto something new, something that is sure to capture readers en masse! What the people want is a passionate romance! I've decided to move onto another story that will be centered around the budding relationship between Iggy and Winona, since technically Iggy does serve coffee at the Wander Inn, qualifying it as a Coffee Shop fic by technicality. This new story will be titled, _"You Wandered Into My Heart"_ , and the first chapter should be coming relatively soon, as I've also learned that most people don't want to read chapters that take an entire day to read. Yes, writing this new fic should definitely lighten my workload and I'll get better recognition out of it...

...I'm just kidding. Please know that I was kidding.

That was entirely a joke. Are you guys still there? I didn't scare you too badly, did I? No, I'm not abandoning After Story; I've invested too much into it to give up on it now. Anyways, back to the actual chapter assessment.

The first part of Alphonse's introductory scene contains a sense of medium awareness humor, but the latter part reveals a rather unexpectedly new and grim outlook on Star Warriors. Shortly after the war against Nightmare ended, Alphonse returned home to Skyhigh with a heavily troubled mind from the horrors he had witnessed, but continued to carry out his duties despite this. After a while of dealing with his planet's problems, eventually his stress caught up to him. He suffered a nervous breakdown and had to be hospitalized; he was told that for the sake of his mental health he needed to retire, and the people of Skyhigh weren't pleased. The very people Alphonse sacrificed his sanity to protect turned on him for what they perceived as cowardliness and selfishness on his part, and eventually he and his brother and sister moved to Pop Star to escape the public backlash. This experience embittered him towards the lifestyle Star Warriors were expected to live, and he ultimately grew to loathe his identity as a Star Warrior.

So, how about that plot twist, eh? Galaxia was proven to have sentience of some sort in the anime, and it made me question if there were other weapons out there that possessed that same quality. Galaxia may have been meant to be special, but I personally think a series of special or sacred weapons existing sounded interesting. Those that read the BETA are already aware of another one that exists and its name and owner, but the Rainbow Sword is joining its ranks in this rewritten version of After Story. I may even bestow the sword with a proper name later, but you'll have to wait and see. But on an entirely different note, was Unknown bringing on the sass in this chapter or what?

I think what took the longest to write in this story was Gooey's side of the story with Benjamin. There was a lot of editing and revisions done on this portion because I wanted to portray their interactions in a light where it made Benjamin's fear of Gooey slowly seem more plausible as you went back and read rather than it seeming as though he outright despises the googly-eyed blob. I'll tell you this upfront - Benjamin is a flawed character. He can be mean, rude, and say a lot of things that really leave a sting, but he's also suffering with some anger issues that he himself genuinely sees as a problem. He's aware that what he says and does hurts people, and it scares him sometimes. He's harsh with Iroo, but he genuinely loves his son and only wants the best for him. That's why the possibility of Iroo becoming rebellious scares him - because he was drawn to that sort of behavior himself when he was younger. His stubbornness also prevented him from realizing and accepting the truth about Gooey sooner, and since Benjamin's status in the village gives him some leeway among the townspeople, he really could have helped vouch for Gooey earlier in the story had he not been so insistent on holding his grudge. Is he truly apologetic? Yes. Has he atoned for his mistake? Hmm, he did say he was sorry, but I wouldn't be surprised to see in the comments that he's not off the hook just yet with the readers. Perhaps he'll redeem himself in the next chapter.

Moving onto a more controversial choice of topic, I really did not want to cut the Kracko boss fight down like that, as I think it's an interesting boss fight, but I had to in order to make room for Alphonse's second appearance. Now, I know what most of you might be thinking: Why did I omit an interesting boss fight that I had already finished writing in order to throw in what was very likely to the audience to be an extremely random and out-of-place scene? Well, the short answer is - it's a surprise! A small elaboration, though. The song on that radio is " **Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre** ", otherwise known as the **"Toreador Song"** from the French opera, _Carmen_. However, this song would probably have been more recognizable had it been in music box form, as the portion of the song written and spoken of in this scene was also used as a countdown jingle in a certain well-received horror game released in 2014 - it plays as a haunted animatronic bear engages in a deadly stareoff in complete darkness against the player, before then screeching in the player's face and dragging them off to receive a decidedly unpleasant fate. I can hear it in your minds now - I wrote this for no other reason than to make a pop culture reference. Well, no. Not really. This scene has actual importance, as well as a generous heaping of worldbuilding, you just don't know all the details yet.

I may have mentioned this on DeviantArt sometime before, but I like to think of the different planets in the Gamble Galaxy as what we would consider countries. From this scene the reader learns Halfmoon has French inspirations, and also that their language has apparently become nearly extinct outside of plays. Likewise, though it's not mentioned or indicated at all by Alphonse, Skyhigh has Greek influences. Pop Star doesn't have its own native language, but I like to think its reminiscent of Hokkaido, as I've been frequently told its the boonies area of Japan. That's your worldbuilding portion of the explanation for this scene. There's some symbolism there in Alphonse's explanation of the song, a bullfighter singing praises of the glory of the occupation despite the insane risks it carries. There's even one part of the song that translates to something along the lines of, "this circus is filled with blood, the crowd cheers!". For crying out loud! And it's never made clear if the blood came from the bull or the bullfighter in this case... Although both scenarios are equally horrible in my opinion. Granted, Escamillo, the toreador, was singing this song to brag about himself in order to woo the titular Carmen. Carmen may have been impressed, but I would be more enthralled with a man that wouldn't make me incessantly worry about the very real possibility of becoming a young widow.

Okay, I've said enough. That's it for this author's note. Congratulations on making it this far. Now go eat a snack or take a nap, I mean, if you want to. I'll definitely be partaking of that latter option, because I'm beat!


End file.
